MEP targeted by deepfakes as study reveals widespread AI sexual abuse against female politicians
Austrian MEP Lena Schilling discovered AI-generated nude deepfakes of herself online, coinciding with a new report showing one in six female European Parliament members face similar targeting, despite an upcoming EU ban on 'nudifier' apps.
Original PrimaryBrief article graphic. Not a photograph of the event.
THE PRIMARY BRIEF
01 · The primary finding
One in six female Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have been targeted by AI-generated nude deepfakes, with MEP Lena Schilling recently discovering such content of herself circulating online.
02 · The primary evidence
A May 7, 2026, provisional agreement between the EU Council and European Parliament bans AI systems that generate non-consensual sexual deepfakes, including 'nudifier' apps, effective December 2, 2026.
03 · Why it matters
This ongoing issue demonstrates that AI-generated non-consensual intimate imagery remains a threat to public figures, particularly women, highlighting the challenges in fully addressing digital violence despite new EU regulations.
25 cited sources · 25 independent publishers
Austrian Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Lena Schilling learned last month that AI-generated nude deepfakes of herself were circulating online. This revelation coincides with a new study indicating that one in six female MEPs have been targeted by such content, even as the European Union prepares to ban AI 'nudifier' apps starting December 2, 2026.
This situation demonstrates the real-world impact of AI-generated non-consensual intimate imagery on public figures, particularly women, and highlights continuing challenges for the effectiveness and enforcement of new EU regulations designed to combat this form of online harm.