In a significant move reflecting the growing concerns over the use of technology in political discourse, opposition parties in Italy have lodged a formal complaint with the Italian communications watchdog regarding a series of AI-generated images published on social media by the far-right party led by Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini. These images have been criticized as "racist, Islamophobic, and xenophobic" by the center-left Democratic Party (PD) in collaboration with the Greens and Left Alliance. The complaint was submitted to Agcom, the regulatory authority responsible for communications in Italy, on Thursday.

The controversy stems from a recent wave of posts on the Leagues social media channels, including platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter), where a multitude of AI-generated photographs have emerged. These images often portray men of color in violent scenarios, typically armed with knives, as they appear to attack women or police officers, raising alarm about the implications of such representations.

Antonio Nicita, a senator from the PD, expressed deep concern over the unsettling nature of these images. He stated, In the images published by Salvinis party and generated by AI, there are almost all categories of hate speech, from racism and xenophobia to Islamophobia. They are using AI to target specific categories of peopleimmigrants, Arabswho are portrayed as potential criminals, thieves, and rapists. Nicita stressed that the portrayal of these individuals not only incites violence but is also misleading, given that the identities of the supposed victims are obscured, giving the impression that the images are real and credible.

Francesco Emilio Borrelli, a member of the Greens and Left Alliance, further emphasized the seriousness of the situation, highlighting the intentional use of AI to create fear among the public. He noted, AI generates content based on our instructions, and in this case, it was clearly instructed to generate images of black people robbing an elderly woman or a frightened woman. This manipulation of public perception through technology has sparked discussions about the ethical responsibilities of political parties in the digital age.

In response to the allegations, a spokesperson for Salvini's party acknowledged that some of the pictures shared on their channels had indeed been generated digitally. The party maintained that the core issue lies not in the images themselves, but rather in the underlying facts they seek to represent. Their statement asserted, Each post is based on true reports from Italian newspapers, with names, dates, and places. If reality seems too harsh, do not blame those who report it, but those who make it so. This perspective raises questions about the balance between freedom of expression and the potential for fostering a hostile environment through sensationalized narratives.

Experts in the field of artificial intelligence, like Salvatore Romano, who heads research at the nonprofit organization AI Forensics, have pointed out the distinct characteristics of the AI-generated images used by the League. He remarked that these images exhibit all the hallmarks of artificial intelligence, noting the out-of-context presentation where subjects are sharply focused against a blurred background. Romano expressed concern that the increasing realism of AI-generated content poses a significant threat to public discourse and social cohesion.

The complaint filed to Agcom includes specific examples of the controversial images, highlighting instances where the Leagues posts paired alarming text with misleading visuals. For instance, one post claimed, A foreigner attacks the train conductor, accompanied by an image of a man of color. However, the original article from Il Resto del Carlino, which the League cited, refrained from specifying the nationality of the assailant, referring only to him as a foreigner. This tactic of associating crime with specific ethnic groups without factual basis has raised ethical questions about the manipulation of public sentiment.

Another notable image in the complaint depicted a family in Islamic dress appearing to confront a young girl, which perpetuated racial and Islamophobic stereotypes. The source newspaper, Il Giorno, did not mention the religion of the family or the girl involved, further illustrating how the League's use of AI images can distort reality.

The trend of using AI-generated images for political propaganda by far-right parties has been on the rise, especially after the last European elections. This phenomenon intensified during the American elections, where figures like Donald Trump and Elon Musk contributed to normalizing such tactics. Romano remarked on this dangerous evolution in political campaigning, stating, Today we see that far-right parties have not only continued to generate fake images for propaganda but have also increased their use at a time when AI tools have improved content quality, making the phenomenon all the more worrying.

Despite regulations requiring social media platforms to implement measures to mitigate the risks of misleading content, such as labeling AI-generated imagery, these safeguards have proven to be largely ineffective in practice. A spokesperson for Salvinis party defended their stance, asserting that their sympathy lies with the victims, not the perpetrators, and if exposing crimes committed by foreigners is labeled as xenophobia, the real issue lies with those who seek to silence such discussions.

If Agcom finds the flagged content offensive, it possesses the authority under the EUs Digital Services Act to mandate the removal of posts, shut down accounts, and impose fines on social media platforms that fail to regulate user behavior adequately. In a recent case, Agcom fined Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, 5.85 million for violations related to gambling advertising, indicating a precedent for holding social media entities accountable for their content moderation practices.

As the controversy unfolds, major social media platforms, including Meta and X, were approached for comments on the matter, but responses are still pending. This situation underlines the complex interplay of technology and political discourse in contemporary society, raising critical questions about accountability, ethics, and the role of AI in shaping public narratives.