Trump Signs Bill Criminalizing Revenge Porn & Deepfakes

New Federal Law Addresses Nonconsensual Explicit Images

On Monday, President Donald Trump enacted the Take It Down Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation. This law introduces more severe punishments for the dissemination of explicit images shared without consent, encompassing both deepfakes and instances of revenge porn.

Criminalization of Distribution

The bill specifically makes the publication of these types of images illegal, regardless of whether the content is genuine or created using artificial intelligence. Individuals who publish such photos or videos are now subject to potential criminal charges.

These penalties can include financial fines, imprisonment, and requirements for restitution to the victims.

Platform Responsibilities

Under the provisions of this new law, social media companies and other online platforms are obligated to remove offending material within 48 hours of receiving notification from the individual affected.

Furthermore, these platforms are required to actively work towards eliminating any duplicate instances of the content.

Federal Intervention

While numerous states have already implemented bans on sexually explicit deepfakes and revenge porn, this marks the first instance of federal regulators intervening to establish restrictions on internet companies.

During the bill signing ceremony at the White House, President Trump stated, “This represents the inaugural federal law dedicated to combating the distribution of explicit imagery posted without the consent of those depicted.” He further emphasized, “We will not condone online sexual exploitation.”

Support and Inspiration

The bill’s passage was significantly supported by First Lady Melania Trump. It was sponsored by Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.).

Senator Cruz revealed that his motivation stemmed from learning about Snapchat’s initial refusal to remove an AI-generated deepfake depicting a 14-year-old girl for almost a year.

Concerns Regarding Free Speech

However, the legislation has prompted concerns from free speech advocates and digital rights organizations. They argue that the law’s scope is excessively broad.

These groups fear it could potentially lead to the censorship of lawful content, including legally produced pornography, as well as images used to criticize the government.

Potential implications for legitimate expression are being closely monitored.