Overview

• Several center-left politicians filed formal complaints after finding unauthorized images on Phica, prompting police investigations.
• Targets include Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, opposition leader Elly Schlein and other public figures, with threads featuring obscene and sometimes violent commentary.
• Images were harvested from social media or broadcasts and altered to emphasize body parts or suggest sexual poses, including a dedicated “VIP” section for politicians and celebrities.
• Meta removed the separate “Mia Moglie” Facebook group last week for violating adult sexual exploitation policies after it amassed about 32,000 members.
• An online petition demanding Phica’s shutdown has surpassed 150,000 signatures, fueling a wider debate as Italy advances tougher penalties that include a legal definition of femicide.