WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, President Trump signed the bipartisan Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes On Websites and Network (TAKE IT DOWN) Act — led by Congresswomen Madeleine Dean (D-PA-04) and María Elvira Salazar (R-FL-27) — into law. Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) led the companion bill in the Senate. The TAKE IT DOWN Act is the first federal law to address sexually explicit AI-generated deepfakes.
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 protects victims of real and deepfake 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.
“I am overjoyed that our bipartisan TAKE IT DOWN Act is now law — a monumental step in the fight to protect Americans' privacy, empower victims, and address sexually explicit AI deepfakes,” Rep. Dean said. “This was made possible by many advocates and partners — including Representatives Salazar and Dingell in the House, Senators Cruz and Klobuchar in the Senate, and the President and First Lady. Today is evidence that when we work together, we can accomplish important work for the American people.”
"The signing of my TAKE IT DOWN Act is a historic moment in our fight to protect children online. I’m grateful to President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump for standing with us against the growing threat of online exploitation and AI abuse. For the first time, victims have real legal protection, and parents have a powerful tool to fight back and protect their children from digital threats. Predators will finally face the full force of the law,” Rep. Maria 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.
More than 100 different organizations and advocacy groups support the TAKE IT DOWN Act. A full list can be found here.
Read the full text of the legislation 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.
