'Nude image' shock in the royal family! Queen and princess were also targeted

The scandal that emerged with the misuse of artificial intelligence technology became a hot topic in Belgium. It has been reported that fake images showing Belgian Queen Mathilde, her daughter Crown Princess Elisabeth and the country's leading women naked have spread on social media platforms in recent days.

In the incident announced by Belgium's Le Soir newspaper on Monday, it was stated that not only the royal family but also the wives of politicians and government officials were targeted. Fake images prepared without consent have again increased concerns about sexual manipulations produced by artificial intelligence.

ACTION WAS TAKEN

According to research conducted by various news organizations in the Belgian media, Flemish Deputy Prime Minister Melissa Depraetere and former Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder were also among the targeted names.

Reacting to what happened, Depraetere said that such events no longer surprise him. Stating that everyone should understand that the preparation and distribution of fake images is unacceptable, the politician pointed out that such content can ruin people's lives.

Former Minister of Defense Dedonder announced that he would file a legal complaint due to the fake images targeting him.

The Belgian Royal Palace also confirmed that action was taken to remove images showing Queen Mathilde and Crown Princess Elisabeth from the internet.

IT'S NOT JUST A VIOLATION OF PRIVACY

Artificial intelligence-generated images that portray real people as naked or engaged in sexual activity stand out as a growing problem worldwide. These contents, prepared without people's explicit consent, can lead to loss of reputation and serious personal harm, as well as a violation of privacy.

Nongovernmental organizations and digital rights advocates warn that artificial intelligence-supported sexual exploitation disproportionately affects women and girls in particular. It is emphasized that the effects of the spread of images on the internet on the victims are not limited to the violation of private life.

NEW MEASURES FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION ARE ON THE AGENDA

The scandal also brought the European Union's plans to introduce stricter rules in the field of artificial intelligence to the agenda again. Within the scope of the planned changes to the EU Artificial Intelligence Law, it is envisaged to ban systems that produce or manipulate realistic intimate images of identifiable real persons without the explicit consent of the persons.

The regulation in question aims to provide stronger protection against the creation and dissemination of sexual images of individuals without their consent.

MELONI WAS ALSO THE TARGET OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

One of the well-known names fighting against fake images prepared with artificial intelligence was Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Meloni demanded 100 thousand euros in compensation in the case filed against two men accused of preparing and distributing fake pornographic videos in which his face was used in 2024.

The Italian Prime Minister has also taken the initiative to register his voice with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) in order to protect his identity against imitation of his voice through artificial intelligence.

The incident in Belgium, ranging from the queen to female politicians, has reignited discussions on preventing fake nude images prepared with artificial intelligence and protecting the victims.