Gráinne Seoige experienced deepfake pornography created using artificial intelligence while canvassing as a Fianna Fáil candidate in Galway West during 2024, an incident detailed in the Virgin Media One documentary Deepfake Ireland and reported by The Irish Times. The broadcast shows Seoige on the brink of tears, recalling how the manipulated image surfaced to diminish and humiliate her in the eyes of voters who perceived her as a lightweight, ill-qualified celebrity candidate.
AI-Generated Harassment Targets Women on Social Media
More than 95 per cent of fake images circulating online depict women, according to model and presenter Maria McGuigan, who was also targeted by deepfakers. “We’re there for their entertainment – there are no consequences,” McGuigan states in the documentary. The film examines how misogyny is embedded in the source code of the internet, creating a digital environment where harassment carries no immediate penalty for perpetrators.
Victims face severe psychological tolls and extortion, as noted by poet Darragh Fleming. Recalling his own experience of being blackmailed over intimate images, Fleming explains that teenagers view such violations as world-ending. “I was blackmailed for nude images of myself – the stats around suicide linked to this, especially among teenagers, are really scary,” Fleming says.
Ongoing Nightmares and Undermined Safety
The psychological fallout extends to persistent trauma for those targeted. Seoige reports having recurring nightmares in which faceless men attack her. These experiences mirror those of Isabella, a secondary school student who was blackmailed at age 15 with deepfake images and experienced similar dreams of assault by faceless men. “It completely destabilises our sense of safety in the world,” Seoige notes.
During the filming of Deepfake Ireland, Seoige meets Žilvinas Padolskas of Dublin-based technology firm Ceartas. She discovers that further images taken directly from her Instagram account have been manipulated by deepfake software without her knowledge, leaving her appalled.
Regulatory Challenges Facing the European Union
The European Union has announced a ban on AI “nudifier” apps that generate non-consensual intimate imagery, scheduled to take effect in December 2026. However, Seoige questions whether legislation alone can resolve the issue. “Changing the law is well and good, but how do you enforce the regulations?” she asks, expressing doubt about practical enforcement. “It’s absolutely disgusting. It could not be more personal – it’s all about control over women.”
Frequently Asked Questions About Deepfake Harassment in Ireland
What specific app ban has the European Union announced?
The European Union has announced a ban on AI “nudifier” applications that create non-consensual intimate imagery, with the regulation set to take effect in December 2026.
Which technology company assisted Gráinne Seoige during the documentary?
Žilvinas Padolskas of Dublin-based technology company Ceartas worked with Seoige and discovered that additional images from her Instagram account had been manipulated by deepfake software.
In which political constituency did Gráinne Seoige run for office?
Seoige stood for election as a Fianna Fáil candidate in the Galway West constituency during the 2024 election cycle.
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