Italian regulator fines Mediaset for deepfake of Enrico Mentana

The Italian Data Protection Authority (Garante per la protezione dei dati personali) concluded that deep‑fake satirical videos of journalist Enrico Mentana broadcast on Mediaset’s programme Striscia la Notizia breached the GDPR. The videos used artificial‑intelligence tools to place Mentana’s image and voice in a virtual studio and attribute statements he never made, which could mislead viewers.

The Authority found violations of GDPR articles 5 (lawfulness, fairness and transparency) and 25 (data protection by design and by default). It issued a formal reprimand to Rti Spa, barred any further use of Mentana’s data in such manipulated content, and ordered the company to retain the material only for possible judicial purposes. The Garante stressed that even satirical deepfakes must respect personal dignity and privacy‑law principles.