An Italian website known as Phica has announced its closure following backlash over its explicit and manipulated images of well-known women, including Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The site, named using slang for the female anatomy, stated it shut down “with great regret” due to “toxic behaviour” exhibited by some of its users.
Prime Minister Meloni condemned the site, expressing her disgust and calling for the accountability of those involved. This closure occurs in the context of recent public outrage against a Facebook group named Mia Moglie, which involved the unauthorized sharing of intimate images of women by men, reportedly including former politicians and police officers. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has since disbanded that group for violating its policies regarding adult sexual exploitation.
Phica was reported to have around 700,000 users and had been active for nearly two decades despite earlier complaints. Its so-called VIP section featured altered images of female politicians and celebrities, often presented in a sexually suggestive manner, which invited vulgar comments from users. Member of European Parliament Alessandra Moretti highlighted the site’s content, suggesting it included incitements to violence.
Phica’s statement attributed its troubling content to users who misused the platform’s original intent, which it claimed was to facilitate a safe sharing environment. It acknowledged that the site had transformed into something shameful and harmful, promising to delete all content. Investigations into the platform’s activities have been initiated by Italy’s Postal Police. A petition for its closure had garnered nearly 170,000 signatures, with concerns raised about unauthorized images taken in private settings.
Amidst this situation, Meloni called on women to report any non-consensual image sharing, reflecting growing awareness and condemnation of such practices in Italy.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c04r07n7dqyo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss