In a major development for digital privacy and online safety, a new federal law in the United States now makes it a criminal offense to share non-consensual, sexually explicit images — whether real or digitally altered using AI. The “Take It Down Act,” recently signed into law by President Donald Trump, addresses the growing crisis of deepfake abuse, where artificial intelligence is used to place someone’s face onto explicit content without their consent.
A Long-Awaited Legal Protection
High-profile public figures and everyday individuals alike — including celebrities such as Taylor Swift and teenage girls from various states — have been affected by this harmful use of technology. These manipulated images often circulate online, causing emotional distress, reputational damage, and long-term psychological harm to victims. While existing federal law already covered AI-generated explicit content involving minors, protections for adults were inconsistent and often lacking.
The Take It Down Act fills this legislative gap. It mandates that social media platforms and tech companies remove non-consensual, explicit content — including deepfakes — within 48 hours of being alerted. Failure to comply could result in legal consequences, both for creators of such content and platforms that allow it to persist.
Bipartisan Support and National Momentum
The legislation received overwhelming bipartisan backing, passing through Congress with only two votes against it in the House of Representatives. Introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), the bill has garnered support from over 100 advocacy organizations, tech giants like Meta, Google, and TikTok, and nonprofit groups dedicated to digital rights and online safety.
First Lady Melania Trump publicly supported the bill and played a role in encouraging its passage, even inviting teen victims of AI-generated harassment to witness the signing ceremony. Among them was Elliston Berry, a Texas high school student whose likeness was misused in a fake explicit image that was widely circulated on social media.
“For months, I lived in fear that the image would keep resurfacing,” Berry said in a previous interview. “Now, with this law in place, I finally feel a sense of justice and security.”
Setting New Standards for Online Accountability
The Take It Down Act also marks one of the first major U.S. laws designed to regulate harmful applications of artificial intelligence. As AI tools become more accessible and sophisticated, lawmakers and civil rights advocates alike have raised concerns about misuse — particularly in the creation of deepfake pornography.
While some platforms like Google, Meta, and Snapchat had already implemented reporting tools for victims, enforcement was inconsistent, and not all sites cooperated with nonprofit partners like StopNCII.org. The new law gives victims more leverage and holds platforms to a uniform standard.
In response to public pressure, companies such as Apple and Google have also started removing apps and services that create AI-generated nude images from their app stores and search engines.
Despite these advances, challenges remain. Some perpetrators continue to exploit unregulated corners of the internet where such harmful content is shared freely. That’s why this legislation is seen as a crucial step toward broader legal accountability and cultural change.
A Message from Society: This Is Not Acceptable
Ilana Beller, organizing manager at advocacy group Public Citizen, emphasized that beyond legal enforcement, the act sends a powerful cultural message.
“Non-consensual deepfakes serve no purpose other than to harm,” Beller said. “By passing this law, we are saying as a society that this behavior is not only wrong — it’s punishable.”
Imran Ahmed, CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, added that the law finally forces social media companies to take responsibility for harmful content.
“Women and girls have suffered long enough under the status quo. This legislation helps protect their dignity and gives them the power to fight back.”
Moving Forward
While the Take It Down Act won’t eliminate online abuse overnight, it creates a clearer legal pathway for justice, forces action from tech platforms, and affirms the rights of individuals to control their digital identities. As AI technology continues to evolve, this law stands as a foundational framework for future efforts to protect people from digital exploitation.
