Teacher attempts suicide after 'ChatGPT wrote post on his Twitter feed urging the murder of Giorgia Meloni's daughter', making him a figure of hate in Italy
A teacher who blamed ChatGPT for his Twitter post urging the murder of Giorgia Meloni's daughter has attempted suicide.
Stefano Addeo, 65, became a figure of hate in Italy after he said he hoped the child, Ginevra, would 'meet the same fate' as a 14-year-old girl recently killed by her jilted boyfriend.
The post sparked public outrage and was condemned across the political spectrum, with opposition MPs as well as members of the governing coalition calling it unacceptable.
Addeo, who teaches German in a school near Naples, tried to justify the message by claiming it was AI -generated but this did nothing to calm the furore.
After being harangued in the streets of his town and forced to shut himself away at home Addeo attempted to take his own life on Monday.
He was rushed to hospital but has since been discharged in a stable condition.
Addeo told La Repubblica newspaper: 'I was lynched, I couldn't take it, I couldn't stand the persecution.'
In an earlier interview with the outlet, he explained how he had asked ChatGPT to create a message that was critical of Meloni after he realised the government was not distancing itself from the war in Israel.
'This crazy thing emerged, and I posted it,' he said.
When he was asked why he hadn't taken a moment to consider making the post, Addeo said he had 'just wanted to post something'.
He added how his actions have had 'really ugly' consequences, 'People are throwing tomatoes at my front door. I have been depicted as a monster', he said.
I'm really shocked - people are issuing threats against me. I did a really stupid thing'.
Addeo added that he would apologise and ask for forgiveness if he was given the opportunity to meet Meloni.
The premier reportedly said she was willing to meet him before the news of the suicide attempt came out.
However, it has emerged he has 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.
The teacher's social media post was a reference to the chilling 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 former boyfriend.
He was allegedly furious that she had ended their relationship. After attacking her, he is alleged to have 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 expressed convern over 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'.
Matteo Renzi, the leader of a centre-Left party and a former prime minister, said the teacher should lose his job.
Addeo has been suspended from teaching and is under investigation for inciting hatred.
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