U.S. President Donald Trump signed a significant piece of legislation on Monday aimed at combating the growing issues of revenge porn and deepfake technology.
The measure, known as the "Take It Down Act," received overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress, reflecting a unifying commitment to tackle the dangers of non-consensual intimate imagery.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Bipartisan effort pushes revenge porn bill to President Trump's desk
The new law implements stricter penalties for those who distribute intimate imagery without consent, addressing both real and AI-generated content. This legislation was particularly timely, as the prevalence of such problematic imagery has been on the rise, prompting lawmakers to seek more robust solutions.
"The passage of the TAKE IT DOWN Act is a historic win in the fight to protect victims of revenge porn and deepfake abuse," said the bill's sponsor, Sen. Ted Cruz. "This victory belongs first and foremost to the heroic survivors who shared their stories and the advocates who never gave up. By requiring social media companies to take down this abusive content quickly, we are sparing victims from repeated trauma and holding predators accountable."
However, not all voices are in favor. Critics have raised concerns that the language within the bill could have been overly broad, potentially leading to issues of censorship and infringing on First Amendment rights.
FROM THE ARCHIVES | Why Deepfake Pornography Is So Hard To Stop
Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, was among the two legislators who voted against the bill, calling the new law "a slippery slope, ripe for abuse, with unintended consequences."
While many states have already established regulations regarding intimate imagery, the "Take It Down Act" serves as a prime example of the federal government stepping in to impose regulations on internet companies.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
