WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the U.S. House passed the Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes On Websites and Network (TAKE IT DOWN) Act — led by Congresswoman Madeleine Dean (D-PA-04) and María Elvira Salazar (R-FL-27). The bill was concurrently introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Ted Cruz (R-TX), and it passed in February. The TAKE IT DOWN Act, which addresses AI deepfakes, will now go to the President’s desk to be signed into law.
This bipartisan bill protects victims of real and deepfaked non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII) and prohibits bad actors from distributing naked photos of children with the intent to harass, abuse or degrade them, or for sexual gratification.
The internet is awash in NCII, in large part from new generative artificial intelligence. We are also experiencing a terrifying rise in child sexual abuse material online. We must act now to defend victims, many of whom are women and girls.
“The TAKE IT DOWN Act’s passage is a significant step forward in Congress’ responsibility to protect the privacy and dignity of Americans against bad actors and the most harmful developments of AI,” Congresswoman Dean said. “It takes only minutes to create a deepfake or share intimate images without consent, yet the lasting consequences devastate its victims — often girls and women. Our bill requires platforms to remove these horrifying images and videos from the Internet within 48 hours. I’m deeply grateful to work with a bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers to create this federal law.”
“The TAKE IT DOWN Act's passage is a bipartisan victory to protect victims of real and deepfake revenge pornography. This bill shows Congress at its best, working together to empower victims, especially women and girls. It equally holds offenders and Big Tech accountable,” Rep. Salazar said.
The TAKE IT DOWN Act would protect and empower children and victims of real and deepfake NCII, while protecting lawful speech. Specifically, the bill:
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Bans the publication of NCII or the threat to publish NCII in interstate commerce;
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Prohibits the distribution of nude images of children with the intent to harass or degrade them, or to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person.
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Permits certain good faith disclosures of NCII, including reports intended for law enforcement or medical treatment; and
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Requires websites to take down photos and videos within 48 hours of a victim’s report.
"We must provide victims of online abuse with the legal protections they need when intimate images are shared without their consent, especially now that deepfakes are creating horrifying new opportunities for abuse,” Senator Klobuchar said. “These images can ruin lives and reputations, but now that our bipartisan legislation is becoming law, victims will be able to have this material removed from social media platforms and law enforcement can hold perpetrators accountable.
"The passage of the TAKE IT DOWN Act is a historic win in the fight to protect victims of revenge porn and deepfake abuse. 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. This day would not have been possible without the courage and perseverance of Elliston Berry, Francesca Mani, Breeze Liu, and Brandon Guffey, whose powerful voices drove this legislation forward. I am especially grateful to my colleagues—including Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Rep. Maria Salazar, Rep. Madeleine Dean, First Lady Melania Trump, and House Leadership—for locking arms in this critical mission to protect Americans from online exploitation,” Senator Cruz said.
The TAKE IT DOWN Act is supported by over 100 different organizations and advocacy groups. A full list can be found here.
Rep. Madeleine Dean is a mother, grandmother, attorney, professor, former four-term member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and U.S. Representative for the Fourth District of Pennsylvania.
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