Nearly 150 European Politicians Found on Deepfake Pornography Sites
A new study counted at least 138 female members of parliament across 22 EU countries on sites hosting or enabling non-consensual explicit AI images. Women were 33 times more likely to be targeted than men.
Key points
- At least 138 female MPs from 22 EU countries appeared on deepfake pornography sites, versus only 9 male MPs, according to research published in 2025.
- Women MPs were 33 times more likely to be targeted than their male colleagues, researcher Benjamin Shultz calculated.
- Politicians from Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, and France appeared most frequently across roughly 160 domains analysed.
- Some sites listed MPs' names, official photos, and body ratings alongside direct links to "nudifier" tools, AI apps that fake-strip clothing from photos.
- At least six of the domains identified in the research went offline before the findings were published.
Researcher Benjamin Shultz catalogued the personal details of more than 5,800 national MPs across all 27 EU countries in July, then ran custom searches across roughly 160 websites known to host deepfake abuse, meaning fake explicit videos or images created by AI without the subject's consent. What he found was stark: women were the overwhelming target.
What exactly did researchers find?
At least 138 female MPs and only 9 male MPs appeared on the sites in any form. The material ranged from explicit AI-generated videos to profile pages listing a politician's name, official photograph, and social media details alongside nudifier links.
Those apps claim to digitally remove clothing from any photo in seconds. "It has all the images, all the information, and a direct link to the tool, and in three clicks you can generate," Shultz told WIRED. "That's just as bad as actually hosting the content."
Some pages included sections rating the women's bodies. Shultz, a fellow at the German think tank Agora Digitale Transformation and lead researcher at the American Sunlight Project, alerted every affected MP individually and gave guidance on requesting removal.
What does this mean for the women targeted?
For the politicians involved, the consequences go beyond personal distress. "This discourages women from taking office in the first place and also crowds these women out of public life," Shultz told WIRED.
Suzanne Kröger, a Dutch MP with the Progressive Netherlands group who was among those targeted, called the findings "really deeply disturbing." Elected officials at least have a platform to speak out. Most victims do not. "There are millions of women victims of these criminal acts," she said.
Deepfake technology has existed since late 2017, and the tools to produce it have grown steadily cheaper. Henry Ajder, an AI adviser who has tracked this space since 2018, described the sites as built for scale: "The whole infrastructure is set up to do this at scale with ease."
Our story on how teachers are being targeted by the same tools, published 24 August, showed how little institutional support exists once a fake image spreads. Politicians have more visibility than most victims; that visibility is also what puts them on these lists.
| Country group | MPs on sites | Calculation |
|---|---|---|
| Female MPs targeted | 138 | from 22 EU countries |
| Male MPs targeted | 9 | from across all 27 |
| Relative likelihood | 33x | women vs. Men |
| Domains analysed | ~160 | across deepfake ecosystem |
| Domains taken down | 6+ | before publication |
Is anything being done about it?
Legislation is moving, slowly. Both the UK and EU are working toward bans on nudifier services. In the United States, the Take It Down Act prompted at least two major deepfake sites to go offline. Investigative reporting, including work first reported by WIRED, has also pushed sites to shut down. Shultz noted a "significant decrease" in depictions of US politicians after similar research in 2024 led to takedowns.
Sarah Dobbe, a Dutch Socialist Party MP who was also impacted, stressed two practical priorities: fast support for victims, and fast content removal. Kröger added that takedowns alone are not enough. "It's a priority to ensure that these images are taken down, but that also there's strong regulation on this type of technology."
If you or someone you know has been targeted by non-consensual deepfake content, most EU countries now have dedicated digital rights or victim support organisations that can advise on removal requests and legal options.
Common questions
What is a deepfake, and how are these images made?
A deepfake is a fake photo or video created by AI that replaces or manipulates someone's face or body to look real. Nudifier apps, a specific type of deepfake tool, use the same technology to fake-remove clothing from an ordinary photograph in seconds, with no technical skill required.
Can this content be removed once it is online?
Yes, though it takes effort. Platforms are legally required to respond to removal requests in many countries, and specialist support organisations can help victims file them. Pressure works: at least six sites hosting this material went offline in the weeks around publication.
Are ordinary women at risk, or only politicians?
Politicians are disproportionately targeted because their photos are publicly available. The same tools also target celebrities, journalists, and private individuals, including girls at schools in nearly 100 locations worldwide, according to Shultz's broader research.
