Irish politician Cara Hunter recounted being targeted by a malicious deepfake video during her 2022 election run, an event that almost ended her career. She highlighted the challenge of fighting these attacks, particularly on platforms like WhatsApp where encrypted messages protect users’ privacy over victims’ rights. Hunter has since become a key voice pushing for stronger digital regulation, noting the severe, disproportionate impact these tools have on women in politics. This case illustrates the real-world harm of unregulated synthetic media on democratic processes.
December 1, 2025. theguardian.com