Austrian MEP speaks out over nude deepfakes as report finds dozens of female EU lawmakers targeted

Lena Schilling urges EU action after discovering altered images of herself online; thinktank warns of systemic threat to women in European politics

By LineZotpaper

Published18 October 2026

Read Time2 min

Austrian Green MEP Lena Schilling has spoken out about discovering nude deepfakes of herself circulating online, calling it a form of 'digital violence against women'. Her comments come as a report from the Berlin-based thinktank Agora Digitale Transformation (ADT) found that 50 MEPs, 46 of them women, have been targeted by sexualised AI-generated content. The report says one in six female MEPs has been affected.

Schilling said she learned about the images last month. When she opened the links, she found digitally altered images from one of her first press conferences, modified to remove her clothing. 'I felt disgusted,' she told the Guardian. 'I remember how nervous I was and how much I had prepared for the press conference. And then to see someone using this image in a way aimed at harming and humiliating me was really hard to grasp.'

ADT, which alerted Schilling to the images, described the findings as revealing how deepfake pornography has become a 'systemic threat to women in European politics'. Its earlier report found that 138 female parliamentarians from 22 EU countries had been affected, and that women were 33 times more likely than their male colleagues to be depicted in or associated with deepfake pornography.

Schilling urged the EU to take stronger action. She said some of the other female MEPs targeted had expressed fears about speaking out. The reports add to growing concern about the use of generative AI to create non-consensual sexualised content, particularly targeting women in public life.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

The targeting of elected representatives with sexualised deepfakes threatens political participation, particularly for women.
It highlights gaps in EU digital regulation and platform accountability for AI-generated abuse.
The case could accelerate EU moves to explicitly criminalise deepfake pornography and strengthen enforcement of existing rules.

Background

Deepfake technology, powered by generative AI, has made it easy to create realistic but fake images and videos. A growing number of female politicians, journalists and activists globally have reported being targeted with sexually explicit deepfakes. The EU has passed the Digital Services Act and is developing the AI Act, but enforcement and specific provisions on non-consensual deepfakes remain contested.

Key Perspectives

Lena Schilling and targeted MEPs: They are speaking out to highlight the harm and call for regulatory action, despite fears of further harassment. Agora Digitale Transformation (ADT): Its reports document the scale of the problem and argue that platforms have failed to adequately respond to takedown requests. EU policymakers: They face pressure to close legal gaps, but debates over free expression and platform liability complicate swift action.

What to Watch

Whether the European Commission proposes specific legislation targeting sexualised deepfakes.
How major social media platforms respond to removal requests from affected politicians.
Further research on the prevalence of deepfake abuse against women in politics across EU member states.

Sources

‘I felt disgusted’: MEP speaks out over nude deepfakes and urges EU action · World news | The Guardian

Checked

12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.

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SupportedHeadline: Austrian MEP speaks out over nude deepfakes as report finds dozens of female EU lawmakers targetedWorld news | The Guardian: “An Austrian MEP has spoken out about her experience of being “stripped naked” online without her consent and has urged the EU to take action, as a report found that one in six female MEPs had been targeted by sexualised AI-generated content.”
SupportedSummary: Lena Schilling urges EU action after discovering altered images of herself online; thinktank warns of systemic threat to women in European politicsWorld news | The Guardian: “An Austrian MEP has spoken out about her experience... and has urged the EU to take action... the finding laid bare how deepfake pornography had become a 'systemic threat to women in European politics'.”
SupportedAustrian Green MEP Lena Schilling has spoken out about discovering nude deepfakes of herself circulating online, calling it a form of 'digital violence against women'.World news | The Guardian: “Schilling described the images as a form of 'digital violence against women' piled on top of the already disproportionate amount of sexist abuse, harassment and violence that women in politics faced.”
SupportedHer comments come as a report from the Berlin-based thinktank Agora Digitale Transformation (ADT) found that 50 MEPs, 46 of them women, have been targeted by sexualised AI-generated content.World news | The Guardian: “Schilling is one of 50 MEPs – 46 of them women – who have been targeted by sexualised deepfakes, according to a report by Agora Digitale Transformation (ADT).”
SupportedThe report says one in six female MEPs has been affected.World news | The Guardian: “as a report found that one in six female MEPs had been targeted by sexualised AI-generated content.”
SupportedWhen she opened the links, she found digitally altered images from one of her first press conferences, modified to remove her clothing.World news | The Guardian: “When she opened the links, she found herself staring at images from one of her first ever press conferences – but the images had been digitally altered to remove her clothing.”
Supported'I felt disgusted,' she told the Guardian.World news | The Guardian: ““I felt disgusted,” she said.”
Supported'I remember how nervous I was and how much I had prepared for the press conference. And then to see someone using this image in a way aimed at harming and humiliating me was really hard to grasp.'World news | The Guardian: ““I remember how nervous I was and how much I had prepared for the press conference. And then to see someone using this image in a way aimed at harming and humiliating me was really hard to grasp.””
SupportedADT, which alerted Schilling to the images, described the findings as revealing how deepfake pornography has become a 'systemic threat to women in European politics'.World news | The Guardian: “The Berlin-based thinktank, which alerted Schilling to the presence of the images online, said the finding laid bare how deepfake pornography had become a 'systemic threat to women in European politics'.”
SupportedIts earlier report found that 138 female parliamentarians from 22 EU countries had been affected, and that women were 33 times more likely than their male colleagues to be depicted in or associated with deepfake pornography.World news | The Guardian: “An earlier ADT report found that 138 female parliamentarians from 22 EU countries had been affected, and that women were 33 times more likely than their male colleagues to be depicted in or associated with deepfake pornography.”
SupportedSchilling urged the EU to take stronger action.World news | The Guardian: “has urged the EU to take action”
SupportedShe said some of the other female MEPs targeted had expressed fears about speaking out.World news | The Guardian: “Schilling said she had spoken to some of the other female MEPs targeted, but they had expressed fears about coming forward.”