A deepfake is not always easy to recognize at first glance. It may be an altered photograph, a video that makes it look as if you said something you never said, a fake profile using your face, or sexual/offensive material created with artificial intelligence. The key issue is not only whether the material is “fake”, but whether it identifies you, exposes you, defames you, threatens you, or processes your personal data without a lawful basis.

The right order of steps

If you see a deepfake photo or video concerning you, do not start with angry comments under the post. Start with evidence, documentation and the right order of steps: keep URLs and screenshots, report it to the platform, request removal where there is a basis, and speak with a lawyer or the authorities when there is a threat, extortion, sexual material, a minor or serious professional harm.

This guide explains in plain language what a citizen in Greece and in the European Union can do. It does not replace individualized legal advice, because every case is assessed on its facts: who uploaded the material, where it was published, whether a face or voice appears, whether there is sexual content, whether a minor is involved, whether money is being requested, whether work or family is affected, and whether the material has already been reproduced.

Dark portrait with digital elements symbolizing deepfake content
The technical side helps the lawyer: URLs, timestamps, screenshots, account details and the history of reports make the case clearer.

What a deepfake is in practice

By deepfake we usually mean digital content that has been created or altered with artificial intelligence so that it appears real. It may involve an image, audio or video. In simple terms: your face, your voice or your image is used to make it appear that you did something, said something or were somewhere, although that did not happen.

Not all deepfakes are unlawful by themselves. A clearly labeled satirical image is one thing, an educational example is another, and a post that pretends to be real and exposes you is another. The law is concerned with the result, the purpose, consent, whether the person is recognizable, violation of personality rights, data processing, defamation, threats, extortion or the use of private/sexual material.

First moves in the first hours

The biggest mistake is losing the evidence. Platforms delete content, perpetrators change usernames, stories disappear after 24 hours and links may stop working. Before you report, before you send a message to the perpetrator and before you answer publicly, keep evidence.

If it happens now First reaction Why it matters
A fake photo or video has been uploaded Keep the URL, screenshots, date, time, account name and profile ID where visible. The material may be deleted quickly. Without evidence, the case becomes harder.
They threaten to publish it Do not pay and do not send new material. Keep all messages and speak immediately with a lawyer or the authorities. The threat may be connected with extortion or other criminal conduct.
An employer, client or family member saw it Keep evidence of dissemination and third-party messages showing the impact. The extent of the harm helps assess civil and criminal claims.
There is sexual content or a minor is involved Act immediately. Do not repost the material to “show it”. Consult a lawyer and the competent authorities. The case may be especially serious and needs careful handling so that it is not disseminated again.

1. Evidence

Keep full screenshots with the address bar, date/time, username, comments, view count and every message showing a threat or purpose.

2. Report

Use the platform’s reporting mechanism and choose a fitting reason: impersonation, harassment, non-consensual intimate content, privacy or illegal content.

3. Legal action

When there is serious exposure, financial loss, a threat, sexual material or a minor, do not rely only on the report. Organized legal and technical documentation is needed.

What evidence is worth keeping

The technical expert does not replace the lawyer, and the lawyer does not replace technical documentation. In these cases the two must work together. The lawyer needs a clear picture of the legal framework, and the technical expert helps ensure that critical evidence is not lost.

Item How to keep it What it shows
Post URL Copy the full link, not only a screenshot. Where the material was published and which platform is involved.
Screenshot with context Show the browser/app, date, time, profile, comments and description. Content, dissemination and account identity at that moment.
Image/video file Save the original file if you can do so without reposting it. Possible technical analysis, metadata, hash and comparison with other material.
Threat messages Keep the conversation, profiles, numbers, emails, dates and any payment requests. Possible purpose, extortion, harassment or repeated conduct.
Platform responses Save the report number, confirmation email and decision. Whether the platform was notified and how it reacted.

Beware of new dissemination

If the material is sexual, concerns a minor or includes highly personal data, do not send it carelessly to friends or public groups “to help”. Reposting may increase the harm and create additional legal risks. Show it only to a lawyer, competent authority or technical adviser in a secure way.

What rights I may have

In practice, a deepfake case may rest on more than one legal basis. There is not always a single article that “solves” the whole issue. Often, personal data protection, violation of personality rights, defamation, threats, extortion, non-consensual dissemination of private material and platform obligations are examined together.

Personal data and GDPR

The image of an identifiable person, the voice, username, profile details, the video and the context of the post can constitute personal data. If someone processes them without a lawful basis, deletion, restriction or another action may be requested depending on the case. The right to erasure is not absolute, but it is an important tool when the material is unlawful, inaccurate, offensive or there is no lawful basis for retaining it.

The Hellenic Data Protection Authority explains that the right to erasure is linked to Article 17 GDPR and that, under conditions, removal of results from search engines may also be requested. In practice, this means that we look not only at the original post, but also at where it appears when someone searches your name.

Personality, image and reputation

In civil law, an unlawful violation of personality rights may lead to a claim for removal of the violation, cessation in the future and, where the conditions are met, compensation or monetary satisfaction for moral damage. For the citizen, this translates into practical requests: to take the material down, to stop repetition, to correct the image that was created and to assess the harm.

Criminal aspect

Depending on the content and the perpetrator’s conduct, criminal offences may be examined, such as defamation or calumnious defamation, threat, extortion, breach of confidentiality, non-consensual publication of material concerning sexual life, or special offences when a minor is involved. A rushed legal label should not be applied without a file, because details change the assessment.

Case What is legally examined Practical next step
A fake video showing you saying something offensive Violation of personality rights, defamation, processing of personal data. Evidence, platform report, legal assessment for removal and possible claims.
Deepfake of a sexual nature Non-consensual dissemination/posting of material, personal data, serious violation of personality rights. Immediate legal assistance, report to the platform, careful recording without reposting.
Threat that a deepfake will be uploaded if you do not pay Possible threat or extortion, depending on the content of the messages. Do not pay without advice. Keep all messages and act immediately.
Material concerning a minor Special enhanced protection, possible criminal dimensions and a duty of careful handling. Immediate contact with a lawyer and the competent authorities. Do not circulate it for any reason.

What obligations platforms have

Large platforms cannot treat every serious report as a simple comment. The Digital Services Act (DSA) provides notice-and-action mechanisms for illegal content. In Greece, EETT has the role of Digital Services Coordinator and provides guidance for complaints concerning DSA breaches by providers of intermediary digital services.

For the user, this means that the report must be specific. A general phrase such as “it is fake” is often not enough. It is better to write that the material uses your image/voice without consent, that it is manipulated, that it exposes you, that there is private/sexual content if there is, that there are threats if there are, and to provide exact URLs.

What changes with artificial intelligence and the AI Act

Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 on artificial intelligence introduces specific transparency obligations for AI systems and content that is artificially generated or manipulated. For deepfake content, the logic is that the recipient must understand that what they see or hear is artificially generated or altered, except in special cases such as purely creative or satirical content where labeling should not undermine the experience.

This does not mean that every victim must wait for the AI Act to be protected. Tools already exist in civil, criminal, personal data and platform law. The AI Act, however, shows that Europe treats deepfakes as an issue of transparency and trust, not as a simple technological trend.

Practical text for a platform report

Example wording

“The content at the link [URL] uses my image/voice without consent and is presented as authentic, although it is manipulated or created with artificial intelligence. It exposes me personally/professionally and I request its immediate removal. Please preserve the relevant data for any lawful procedure.”

If there is sexual content, a threat, a minor or financial extortion, the wording must be prepared more carefully and usually with legal guidance.

When a lawyer is needed immediately

Speak with a lawyer immediately when the material threatens to cause professional harm, concerns private or sexual life, appears on multiple platforms, the perpetrator asks for money, a minor is involved, or the platform refuses to act despite the report. In such incidents, fast but correct action matters more than public confrontation. If there is a threat, extortion or serious online harassment, also see the public route for the Cyber Crime Division through gov.gr.

Case file checklist for a lawyer or technical adviser

  • Full URLs of all posts and profiles.
  • Screenshots with date, time and username.
  • Original image/video files where available.
  • Threat messages, money requests or instructions from the perpetrator.
  • Platform responses and report numbers.
  • Dissemination evidence: who saw it, where it was reposted, what harm it caused.
  • If a minor or sexual content is involved, note it clearly without circulating the material.

Frequently asked questions

Should I answer publicly that it is fake?

Sometimes public restoration is needed, but not before evidence has been kept. A rushed public answer may give the material more visibility or lead to a new confrontation. First documentation, then strategy.

Is making a report enough?

Not always. A report is useful for immediate removal, but by itself it does not resolve compensation, moral damage, criminal assessment or repeated dissemination. If the harm is serious, an organized file is needed.

Can I request removal from Google?

Under conditions, removal of results that appear when searching your name may be requested. This is different from deleting the original post. Often both are needed.

What if the perpetrator is unknown?

It does not mean that nothing can be done. URLs, platforms, times, usernames, emails, payments or messages can help. Identification, however, requires a lawful procedure and is not done through a private “hunt”.

Sources and useful links

This article is for informational purposes and does not constitute individualized legal advice. For a real case, especially if there is a threat, extortion, sexual material or a minor, seek specialized legal assistance immediately.