Around 150 European politicians have been linked to websites featuring or promoting non-consensual sexual deepfakes, according to new research into the growing use of AI to create fake intimate images.
The study, conducted by German digital democracy think tank Agora Digitale Transformation, examined 160 websites and searched for the names of 5,872 sitting members of national parliaments across the European Union. Researchers identified 138 female MPs from 22 EU countries who were either depicted in or associated with deepfake pornography. Nine male MPs were also identified.
The research found that these websites did more than host fake sexual images. Some used politicians’ names, photographs and biographical details to direct visitors to “nudify” tools, which claim to turn ordinary photos into fake nude or sexual images.
This shows how AI-generated sexual abuse can spread through connected websites, search results and image-generation tools, making it harder for victims to control where manipulated images appear online.
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Researchers Examined 160 Websites Linked to Deepfake Porn
A study by German digital democracy think tank Agora Digitale Transformation examined how widely European politicians are being exposed to websites linked to deepfake pornography. The researchers looked at websites that host or promote AI-generated sexual content and checked whether the names of sitting EU parliamentarians appeared on them.
The study was carried out between July 16 and July 20, 2026. Researchers searched for the names of sitting members of national parliaments in all 27 EU countries.
Using Google Custom Search, they examined 160 websites linked to deepfake pornography, celebrity leaks and other non-consensual sexual content. The research covered 5,872 parliamentarians, representing 94.4% of the sitting national parliament members included in the study.
Researchers did not download or save the sexualised images they found. Instead, they recorded the type of result shown in each search. This included websites hosting the content, pages linking a politician to an image-generation or “nudify” tool, content that was still appearing in search results, and websites that had already been removed.
The researchers also tested their method with 100 fictional names. Seven of the names happened to match real adult performers, while the other searches produced no relevant results. This test helped them check whether the findings were linked to specific politicians rather than random search results.
Only Two Politicians Have Been Publicly Identified
The identities of most politicians found in the investigation have not been made public. Suzanne Kröger, a Dutch MP from GroenLinks-PvdA, and Sarah Dobbe, a Dutch MP from the Socialist Party, are the two politicians who have publicly confirmed that they were affected. Both spoke to WIRED about their experiences.
138 Women MPs Were Linked to Deepfake Pornography
Women made up the vast majority of politicians identified in the study. Researchers found 138 women MPs and nine men among the 5,872 parliamentarians they examined.
The study’s statistical analysis found that women MPs were 33 times more likely than men to be shown in or linked to deepfake pornography, after taking several other factors into account. This means about one in 14 women MPs in the study were affected, compared with about one in 500 men. The researchers did not publish a complete list of names.
| Measure | Women | Men |
| MPs identified in the study | 138 | 9 |
| Approximate share affected | 1 in 14 | 1 in 500 |
The researchers also found a link between political visibility and exposure. Women MPs in senior roles, including cabinet positions or party leadership, had a higher predicted level of exposure than women in more junior positions.
It also found cases across different political groups. Its analysis showed higher exposure among both left-leaning and right-leaning politicians compared with those in the political centre. This suggests that the issue was not limited to one particular political group.
97 Gateway Pages Connected MPs to Nudify Tools
The study found that websites did not always need to directly publish a sexual deepfake to play a role in its creation. Some acted as “gateways”, connecting information about politicians with AI tools that could create sexualised images.
Researchers identified 97 gateway cases. These were pages containing details such as a politician’s name, biography, photos or social media links, along with links to AI tools that could be used to create manipulated sexual images.
In 61 cases, the pages also contained images that could be used with the linked tools. The other 36 cases did not contain those images but still connected information about a specific politician to tools that could create manipulated content.
Researchers found that three gateway pages also displayed active non-consensual sexual deepfakes. Some of the pages also included ratings of women’s bodies. This can make enforcement more difficult because a website may not directly show an explicit deepfake but can still provide links, photos and other information that help users create one.
Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands Recorded the Most Cases
Politicians from Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands appeared most often in the study, according to reporting by WIRED. The researchers examined national MPs from all 27 EU countries but did not include members of the European Parliament.
The study therefore focused on members of national parliaments, rather than all politicians across Europe. This is an important point when looking at the study’s finding of nearly 150 politicians.
This does not mean that nearly 150 politicians across all of Europe were targeted. It refers only to the politicians identified within the specific group of national MPs and the 160 websites examined by the researchers.
Why Politicians Are Easy Targets for Deepfake Abuse
Politicians are more exposed to deepfake abuse because large amounts of their photos and videos are already available online.
Official portraits, campaign photographs, interviews and videos of public appearances give people creating deepfakes plenty of material to use. For politicians, sharing images publicly is also part of their work, which makes it difficult to avoid this exposure. The Agora researchers said this creates a particular risk for people in public office because they cannot easily keep their images private.
The problem can be especially serious for women in politics. Researchers and politicians interviewed by WIRED said sexualised deepfakes can harm a person’s reputation and well-being. They also raised concerns that repeated abuse could discourage some women from entering politics or remaining in public life.
The concern, therefore, goes beyond a single fake image being posted online. Repeated sexual harassment can affect how politicians take part in public life and may create additional pressure on those who already face high public exposure.
Deepfake Content Can Remain Online After Sites Are Removed
Removing a website does not always mean that every trace of its content disappears from the internet. In the study, researchers examined what happened after authorities seized the CFake domain. They reported finding 47 records that were still discoverable through Google’s API more than a month after the domain was seized.
However, the researchers stressed that this finding has an important limitation. They could not reproduce the 47 records through ordinary manual Google searches, so they said the result needs to be independently replicated and confirmed.
This should therefore be treated as an indication that traces may remain after a website is removed, rather than as proof that the material was still publicly accessible through normal Google searches.
This still points to a wider challenge in removing deepfake material. Even after a website is taken down, search systems, cached information or other websites may continue to contain references to older content. The researchers therefore said monitoring efforts should consider both the original websites and search systems that may continue to point to previously indexed material.
Deepfake Abuse Extends Beyond Individual Websites
Deepfake abuse is not limited to websites that directly create or share fake sexual images. Separate research shows that these sites are part of a wider online network involving several types of services.
In July 2026, the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) published a six-month study looking at how gender-based deepfakes are created, shared and monetised. The study found that the wider network includes search engines, app stores, social media platforms, messaging services and payment systems.
According to ISD, people can be directed from mainstream online services to commercial and open-source tools that can create manipulated sexual images. The organisation also found connections between these tools, affiliate networks and payment services. These links can make it harder to track and stop the activity, especially when different parts of the network operate across different countries.
This wider network helps explain why taking down individual websites may not be enough to stop deepfake abuse. New domains, tools and distribution channels can appear elsewhere and continue the same activity.
Women Are Disproportionately Targeted by Deepfake Porn
Women and girls are more often targeted by sexual deepfakes than men, according to research cited by the European Parliament.
A 2026 European Parliament briefing said women and girls are especially vulnerable to deepfake pornography. It noted that this type of content can be used for harassment, sexual extortion and other forms of online abuse. The briefing also cited earlier research estimating that 98% of deepfake videos online were pornographic and that 99% of people targeted by non-consensual intimate deepfakes were women.
The briefing also warned that AI-generated sexual content can affect women’s participation in public life. Such abuse can cause intimidation, damage reputations and create pressure on women to withdraw from public discussions or activities.
The new Agora study adds to this research by showing how the same problem affects elected politicians across the European Union.
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Deepfake Laws Have Not Ended the Problem
The study also examined whether countries with specific laws against deepfakes had lower levels of exposure among politicians.
Researchers did not find lower exposure in countries with criminal laws that specifically cover deepfakes. However, they cautioned that this does not show that these laws are ineffective. The researchers said differences in enforcement could affect the results. They also noted that countries without specific deepfake laws may still use existing privacy or image-abuse laws to take action against such content.
This shows that having a law in place is only one part of the response. How quickly and effectively authorities investigate reports and remove abusive content can also affect how well victims are protected.
The issue becomes more difficult when deepfake content crosses national borders. The victim, creator, website hosting the content, search engine and payment service may all be located in different countries. This can make it harder for authorities to identify those responsible and coordinate action.
Deepfake Abuse Is Part of a Wider Online Network
The research shows that sexual deepfake abuse involves more than individual websites. It has grown into a wider network of sites and online services that can play different roles.
Some websites host manipulated images, while others collect photos and information about potential targets. Some pages connect those details to AI tools that can create sexualised images. Search engines can also continue to show links or other traces of content after a website has been taken down.
The study found that women MPs had much higher exposure than men. It also found that women in more visible political positions faced higher predicted exposure.
The researchers plan to repeat the study over time using the same group of politicians and research method. This could help show whether website seizures, new laws and enforcement efforts actually reduce exposure or whether the activity moves to other websites and services.
The findings suggest that removing individual deepfake images is only one part of the problem. The wider network includes AI creation tools, gateway sites, hosting services and search indexes, which can help the abuse continue even after individual websites are removed.