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January 17, 2026 – Argentina –
Argentinian journalist Julia Mengolini, founder and director of the independent radio station Futuröck, is preparing to pursue legal action against President Javier Milei and multiple associates following a sustained campaign of online harassment that included deepfake pornography targeted at her and intense political attacks. Mengolini filed a lawsuit alleging unlawful association, embezzlement of public funds, coercive threats, and public incitement to hatred, asserting that the coordinated abuse was orchestrated by figures within the president’s political circle. A judge has not yet set a trial date.
Mengolini’s legal battle stems from events during and after Argentina’s recent presidential election cycle, during which she faced what she characterised as unprecedented persecution of journalists under Milei’s administration. In addition to the deepfake videos depicting her in sexually explicit scenarios, which were widely circulated online by accounts linked to the governing coalition, Mengolini has been subject to official criminal complaints for slander and other charges initiated by the president and government officials. One such case was dismissed, while another was reopened in December 2025. She has also faced separate legal action from Argentina’s Minister of Health related to her critical reporting.
The deepfake attacks intensified after January 2024, when Mengolini criticised Milei in a televised political comedy segment—remarks that led to an initial slander suit. Her lawsuit against Milei and associates alleges that the harassment campaign went beyond ordinary political dispute and amounted to organised intimidation using artificial intelligence tools and social media networks. Mengolini and her legal team contend that public funds may have been used to support the dissemination of harmful content aimed at discrediting and silencing her.
Mengolini says the smear campaign has exerted a profound personal toll, including health effects linked to chronic stress, and that online abuse has driven her to adjust how she engages with digital platforms. She asserts that the hostile environment for journalists in Argentina today is more aggressive than at any prior point in her 15-year career, reflecting broader issues of political polarisation and diminished tolerance for critical media.
Press freedom advocates and legal experts observe that Mengolini’s case highlights emerging threats to journalists posed by deepfake technology and organised digital harassment, particularly when amplified by political actors. As the legal proceedings unfold, her lawsuit could set important legal precedents for accountability in the misuse of artificial intelligence in attacks against individual journalists and for defining protections against coordinated online bullying linked to government influence.
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