Teacher uses AI to harass Italy's prime minister's daughter

An Italian teacher is under investigation after posting an online message wishing harm on Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s eight-year-old daughter, sparking national outrage and a debate over the misuse of artificial intelligence. What happened Stefano Addeo, a 65-year-old German teacher near Naples, wrote on social media that he hoped Meloni’s daughter, Ginevra, would “meet the same fate” as a recently murdered teenage girl. The threat caused real distress to the prime minister’s family and raised concerns about the safety of public figures’ relatives. Politicians warned that such rhetoric crosses ethical and legal boundaries, and potentially normalises online threats and hate speech. Widely condemned by politicians from all parties, the post led to a criminal investigation for inciting hatred. Addeo later claimed the message was generated by ChatGPT at his request, attempting to shift blame onto the AI tool. Why it happened Addeo claimed he was motivated by political anger over the government’s stance on the Israel conflict and used AI to craft a message critical of Meloni. However, by posting the AI-generated text, he exercised personal agency and responsibility, regardless of the tool used. The incident reflects both the growing accessibility of AI for creating content and a willingness among some individuals to use the technology for nefarious purposes - and as a scapegoat for their own actions. What it means The case underscores the urgent need for digital literacy, ethical boundaries, and legal frameworks around AI-generated content. It also demonstrates how political polarisation and technology can combine to escalate online abuse, making it vital for institutions and society to reaffirm norms of civility and accountability. The involvement of a teacher in such an incident has prompted calls for disciplinary action and renewed scrutiny of educators’ conduct, both online and offline. In summary, the incident is a stark example of how AI can be misused to amplify or excuse harmful speech, and it raises pressing questions about responsibility, ethics, and protection in the digital era. System 🤖 ChatGPT Developer: OpenAI Country: Italy Sector: Politics Purpose: Harrass public figures Technology: Generative AI; Machine learning Issue: Accountability; Safety

Date it happened

2025-06-01

Organisation involved

Stefano Addeo

Product, system or model

ChatGPT

This is a record of what was reported, not a finding that anyone broke the law. If it names your organisation and you believe it is wrong, the corrections process is free and open to everyone.