AI Misuse and Press Suppression: The Dark Side of Javier Milei's Presidency

President Javier Milei's online harassment of journalist Julia Mengolini highlights an alarming trend of press hostility in Argentina, where misinformation and misogyny threaten journalistic integrity and freedom.

An alarming incident has unfolded in Argentina as President Javier Milei escalates his verbal attacks on journalists, particularly women, using a disturbing blend of artificial intelligence and social media. Recently, an AI-generated smear video emerged, falsely depicting journalist Julia Mengolini in an incestuous situation. This nefarious content has gained traction online, and President Milei has not held back in ridiculing Mengolini, a vocal critic of his administration.

Over a weekend, Milei unleashed a torrent of online posts—totalling at least 65—directed at Mengolini, with his supporters joining in to mock her, perpetuating the malicious narratives presented in the fake video. This incident marks one of the most extreme attacks in a series of escalating hostilities against the press by the right-leaning libertarian Milei and his associates. Observers warn that such rhetoric, often peppered with misogynistic undertones, could significantly undermine press freedom and even incite real-world violence against journalists.

Milei's disdain for the media is emblematic of a broader crisis in press freedoms, often mirroring strategies employed by populist leaders elsewhere, most notably Donald Trump. His phrase "We don’t hate journalists enough" reflects a troubling trend among political figures that normalizes hostility towards the fourth estate. Although Milei did not directly share the offensive AI-generated video, his support for the smear campaign against Mengolini clearly legitimizes such ethically questionable tactics. This behavior raises serious concerns not only for journalism in Argentina but for the health of democracy itself.