President Donald Trump is expected to sign into law today the Take It Down Act, a bipartisan measure aimed at imposing stronger penalties against the distribution of non-consensual explicit imagery, including both authentic content and AI-generated deepfakes.
The legislation marks the first significant federal step towards regulating these offenses online, establishing criminal penalties such as fines, imprisonment, and restitution for individuals who publish explicit photos or videos without consent. Additionally, it mandates that social media companies and other online platforms remove offending materials within 48 hours once notified by the victim, and actively work to eliminate duplicates or reposted copies.
Although several states have previously enacted their own laws addressing revenge porn and sexually explicit deepfakes, this legislation represents the first comprehensive federal attempt to police internet platforms on such issues. The bill received notable bipartisan support in Congress, with sponsorship from Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.). Cruz, speaking on the motivation behind the bill, cited frustration over Snapchat’s prolonged hesitation to remove a damaging AI-generated deepfake targeting a 14-year-old girl.
The initiative also found a notable advocate in First Lady Melania Trump, who actively lobbied in favor of the legislation.
However, the law has not come without criticism. Digital rights groups and free speech advocates have voiced concern, asserting the law’s overly broad language could inadvertently lead to censorship of legal material, including consensual adult pornography, as well as stifle critical speech directed toward the government.
