Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Online group with over thirty-two thousand members removed after thousands of reports of non-consensual image sharing
An Italian Facebook group, named “Mia Moglie” (“My Wife”), has been permanently closed following a criminal investigation by the Italian Postal Police and a wave of public outrage.
The group, active since 2019, accumulated more than thirty-two thousand members and featured hundreds of intimate images of women—including partners, relatives and strangers—shared without consent.
Images ranged from private moments at home to intimate encounters, often accompanied by sexualized and degrading comments.
Some were reported to have been generated with artificial intelligence.
More than two thousand complaints were submitted to Meta and Italian authorities, prompting the police to launch a criminal investigation.
Meta confirmed the group was removed for violating its policy against the sexual exploitation of adults.
The investigating authorities logged all comments and posts for further examination.
The case gained widespread attention after activist Carolina Capria and the group No Justice No Peace highlighted it on social media.
The disclosures triggered denunciations from political and consumer groups, including the Democratic Party and Codacons, which demanded decisive action from Meta.
Italian law, enacted in 2019, criminalizes the dissemination of sexually explicit images without consent, with penalties ranging from one to six years in prison and fines of up to fifteen thousand euros.
Legal experts have indicated that members of the group could face charges such as revenge porn, privacy violations, defamation and, in some instances, child pornography.
Investigators are now gathering evidence and reaching out to victims who may recognize themselves in circulated images.
Authorities have also noted the emergence of similar groups on messaging platforms such as Telegram and WhatsApp, where content may be harder to track and remove.
The police statement highlighted the disturbing content and language used within the group, while the deputy director emphasized the unprecedented scale and seriousness of the violations documented.
The group, active since 2019, accumulated more than thirty-two thousand members and featured hundreds of intimate images of women—including partners, relatives and strangers—shared without consent.
Images ranged from private moments at home to intimate encounters, often accompanied by sexualized and degrading comments.
Some were reported to have been generated with artificial intelligence.
More than two thousand complaints were submitted to Meta and Italian authorities, prompting the police to launch a criminal investigation.
Meta confirmed the group was removed for violating its policy against the sexual exploitation of adults.
The investigating authorities logged all comments and posts for further examination.
The case gained widespread attention after activist Carolina Capria and the group No Justice No Peace highlighted it on social media.
The disclosures triggered denunciations from political and consumer groups, including the Democratic Party and Codacons, which demanded decisive action from Meta.
Italian law, enacted in 2019, criminalizes the dissemination of sexually explicit images without consent, with penalties ranging from one to six years in prison and fines of up to fifteen thousand euros.
Legal experts have indicated that members of the group could face charges such as revenge porn, privacy violations, defamation and, in some instances, child pornography.
Investigators are now gathering evidence and reaching out to victims who may recognize themselves in circulated images.
Authorities have also noted the emergence of similar groups on messaging platforms such as Telegram and WhatsApp, where content may be harder to track and remove.
The police statement highlighted the disturbing content and language used within the group, while the deputy director emphasized the unprecedented scale and seriousness of the violations documented.
