It was ChatGPT, says Italian who ‘hoped Meloni's daughter would meet same fate as murder victim'
Stefano Addeo, 65, who teaches German in a school near Naples, caused fury at the weekend when he wrote on social media that he hoped Ginevra, the Italian prime minister's daughter, would 'meet the same fate' as a 14-year-old girl who was recently allegedly murdered by her jilted boyfriend.
The post was condemned across the political spectrum, with opposition MPs as well as members of the governing coalition saying it was unacceptable.
He is now under investigation by the authorities for inciting hatred.
Mr Addeo attempted on Monday to justify the message, saying that it had been created by the artificial intelligence chatbot, albeit at his request.
He told the La Repubblica newspaper: 'It wasn't me, it was artificial intelligence. I saw on television on Friday that the government was not distancing itself from the war in Israel. I asked ChatGTP to create a message critical of Meloni. This crazy thing emerged and I posted it.'
Asked why he had not taken a moment to reflect on the gravity of the post, he said: 'I just wanted to post something. ChatGTP is more harmful than you think. I'm a Catholic, I'm in favour of animal rights, I'm a vegetarian.
'I'm on the Left but that does not excuse this type of message. I've had to cancel all my social media platforms, the consequences have been really ugly. I've had to shut myself away at home.
'People are throwing tomatoes at my front door. I have been depicted as a monster. I'm really shocked – people are issuing threats against me. I did a really stupid thing.'
He said furore over the incident meant he had been harangued in the streets of his home town.
The teacher, who has no children and lives with his 90-year-old mother, said that if he had the opportunity to meet the prime minister, he would apologise.
'I would hug her, asking her forgiveness. I wish only the best for her daughter, although I would advise her to be careful about social media,' he said.
But it has emerged he has also posted messages threatening the children of other members of the Right-wing coalition – Matteo Salvini, the transport minister and head of the League party, and Antonio Tajani, the foreign minister and a former European commissioner.
'This is intolerable – you can attack me, but not my daughter,' said Mr Salvini.
The teacher's social media post was a reference to the horrific case of Martina Carbonaro, a 14-year-old schoolgirl who was beaten to death with a rock a few days ago, allegedly by her 18-year-old ex-boyfriend.
He was allegedly furious that she had ended their relationship. After attacking her, he attempted to hide her body beneath rubbish and debris in an abandoned farmhouse near the town of Afragola, north of Naples, it was reported.
Ms Meloni, who is halfway into her five-year term as premier, has decried what she called a 'sick climate' in Italian political discourse.
She said that threats made against her and her young daughter represent 'a spiral of hatred fed by an ideological fanaticism that has exceeded every limit. No political differences or ideological cause can ever justify attacks on children'.
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