Italians shocked by suicide of woman over sex tape as investigation commences

Prosecutors in Naples are investigating the suicide of a woman who was the subject of an internet sex tape.

A photo made available 16 September 2016 of the coffin of Tiziana Cantone being carried out of a church at the end of her funeral service in Casalnuovo, Naples. Source: AAP, ANSA

Italian prosecutors in Naples have opened a criminal investigation after the suicide of a 31-year-old woman who had fought unsuccessfully to have a video showing her having sex expunged from the internet.

Chief prosecutor Francesco Greco says the investigation into possible charges of instigating suicide was being coordinated with another probe based on a defamation complaint the woman brought against four individuals last October.

The complaint remained open at the time of the woman's death on Tuesday.

According to media reports, the woman sent the video privately to a small group of people, but it quickly went viral and she became the target of insults and jokes. Her attempts to have the video removed from a series of platforms failed.