Italian PM Giorgia Meloni applies to trademark her voice at EU agency to block AI deepfakes

From the Newshound archive · first published 5 October 2026 · last updated 6 October 2026.

Giorgia Meloni has filed an application with the European Union Intellectual Property Office to trademark her voice, submitting a four-second recording of herself saying 'Io sono Giorgia Meloni' — 'I am Giorgia Meloni'. The Italian prime minister has been targeted for years by AI-generated pornographic deepfakes, including a manipulated image of her sitting on a bed in her underwear. Italian media warn the trademark, even if approved, would not by itself prevent deepfakes but would create additional legal obstacles for those trying to replicate her voice.

The phrase echoes her famous 2019 rally declaration — 'I am Giorgia, I am a woman, I am a mother, I am Italian, I am Christian' — which was turned into a viral disco remix.

In March 2024, an Italian court asked Meloni to testify in a civil case involving alleged pornographic deepfakes made using her likeness.

'I can defend myself, but many others cannot,' Meloni warned in May after fresh fake images surfaced online.