Italian Press Faces Cyber Hack and AI‑Driven Fake News Controversy

On 10 July, a devastating computer virus infected the website of NonSoloContro, a local Italian news outlet that has covered regional politics, associations and cultural events for seven years. The attack rendered the site offline, erased pages and threatened the archive of thousands of articles, photos and interviews. The publication’s director, Nadia Bergamini, said the virus “devoured the site page by page”. To fund the technical recovery and strengthen cybersecurity, the owners launched a GoFundMe campaign seeking €1,800.

Separately, the national Order of Journalists submitted a formal complaint to AGCOM and the Ministry of Justice against the online portal We‑News. The portal, which claims to be a newspaper, is entirely generated by artificial‑intelligence systems and lacks a registered director or a real editorial staff, according to the Order. The complaint seeks urgent regulatory action to ensure transparency for readers and to enforce legal responsibilities for online news content.