Meloni seeks EU trademark for her voice amid deepfake concerns
The Italian prime minister's filing contains a short recording of her voice, but EU examiners have not decided whether to register it.
A voice trademark application
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni applied to the European Union Intellectual Property Office to register her voice as a trademark, Reuters reported on October 5. Reuters said the application is dated that day, was confirmed by Meloni’s office, and includes a four-second recording in which she repeats “Io sono Giorgia Meloni” (“I am Giorgia Meloni”) twice. The filing follows repeated circulation of manipulated images of the prime minister, some shared as if genuine. It is a new application, not a trademark already granted by EU authorities.
Protection remains uncertain
Reuters said the application is still under examination. It also reported that Italian media have warned registration alone would not prevent someone from making an AI voice imitation, although it might create another legal obstacle to misuse. Meloni has previously criticized deepfakes and urged people to verify material before sharing it. A separate civil case she brought in 2024 over alleged deepfake pornographic images remains pending, according to Reuters. Neither that case nor the new voice filing establishes a broader EU rule for synthetic audio, and the practical effect of this trademark request will depend on the examination and any later enforcement.