Italian Privacy Authority Sanctions R.T.I. for AI Deepfake Videos of Journalist Mentana
Italy's Data Protection Authority concluded an investigation into deepfake videos of journalist Enrico Mentana broadcast by R.T.I.'s satirical program Striscia la Notizia. The Authority found that manipulated videos depicting fabricated statements violated GDPR principles and were not sufficiently marked as artificial, and issued a warning against further use of Mentana's personal data in this manner.
What happened
The Italian Data Protection Authority (Garante) concluded an investigation into deepfake videos broadcast by R.T.I. Spa's satirical program Striscia la Notizia, initiated following a complaint from journalist Enrico Mentana.
The videos contained manipulated images and synthetic audio that attributed statements to Mentana that he had never made, while placing his image virtually in the studio of the broadcaster where he works.
Reported impact
According to the Authority, the high realism of the content, the poor perceptibility of the alterations, and the plausibility of the attributed statements could have led the public to consider them authentic.
The Authority found that warnings inserted to indicate the artificial nature of the videos were not sufficiently clear, evident, and comprehensible to all television viewers and social network users.
Index analysis
The Authority determined violations of article 5 of the GDPR, concerning the principles of lawfulness, fairness, and transparency, and article 25 on data protection by design and by default.
The Authority stated that the use of deepfakes for satirical purposes must still respect the dignity of individuals and the principles of data protection law, and that such use does not exclude the application of GDPR rules when content can be perceived as authentic.
Governance controls
The Authority issued a warning to R.T.I. Spa and prohibited the further use of Enrico Mentana's personal data in the manner that was the subject of the investigation, while preserving the possibility of retaining the data for potential judicial needs.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.