Question Everything 'We Don't Hate Journalists Enough': The Story of an F-ed Up Deepfake
Nov 13, 2025
Julia Mengolini, an Argentinian journalist and co-founder of Futurock, shares her harrowing experience of being targeted by a pornographic deepfake following her criticism of President Javier Milei. She reveals the shocking escalation of online harassment, including government officials amplifying the smear campaign. Julia discusses her decision to fight back legally against the president, highlighting the growing threat to press freedom and the urgent need for accountability in the age of AI. Her insights emphasize the real dangers behind digital manipulations.
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Targeted Deepfake Of Family Photo
- Julia Mengolini discovered an AI-created image that animated her and her brother into a kissing loop and later received a pornographic deepfake of them.
- The attacks came via tweets, DMs, email and Telegram and were designed to humiliate rather than to be believed.
Explicit Deepfake Video And Personal Toll
- The deepfake video depicted explicit sexual acts and showed Julia's recognizable face while her brother's face was less visible.
- Julia received the video directly and was initially terrified, describing the experience as virtual torture that felt physically real.
Humiliation Over Believability
- Julia believes the goal of the deepfake was to mortify and break her, not to convince the public of its truth.
- The attackers prioritized emotional damage over realism when weaponizing AI content.