US Enacts Take It Down Act to Criminalise Explicit AI Deepfakes

Victims of non-consensual, explicit deepfakes can now take legal action under a new US federal law signed by President Donald Trump.

The Take It Down Act, signed on May 19 at the White House, makes it illegal to share AI-generated or real non-consensual explicit images online. It also mandates that tech platforms remove such content within 48 hours of notification.

The law aims to protect victims of revenge porn and AI-generated sexual images, increase accountability for tech companies, and provide law enforcement with clearer guidelines for prosecution.

Previously, federal law only prohibited AI-generated explicit images of children, while protections for adults varied by state.

The legislation was introduced by Texas Senator Ted Cruz and Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar in 2024. It passed both chambers of Congress with near-unanimous support, with only two House representatives voting against it.

More than 100 organisations, including Meta, TikTok, Google, and advocacy groups like Public Citizen, backed the bill. First Lady Melania Trump also lobbied lawmakers and hosted teenage victim Elliston Berry during the president’s March address to Congress.

Berry, along with fellow teen Francesca Mani, attended the signing ceremony in the White House Rose Garden. Both had been targeted by AI-altered explicit images shared online.

The law is one of the first federal measures in the US to address harms caused by AI-generated content.

Major tech platforms such as Google, Meta, and Snapchat already offer tools for users to request removal of explicit images. Some also partner with non-profits like StopNCII.org and Take It Down to facilitate cross-platform removal.

However, not all platforms cooperate, and some bad actors continue to exploit sites that lack safeguards, highlighting the need for legal enforcement.

Apple and Google have also removed apps that use AI to create manipulated nude images from their stores and search results.

Imran Ahmed, CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, said the law forces social media companies to protect users from invasive content. Public Citizen’s Ilana Beller added that the law sends a strong societal message that such content is unacceptable.

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• President Trump signed the Take It Down Act on May 19, criminalising non-consensual explicit deepfakes

• Tech platforms must remove flagged content within 48 hours

• The law passed Congress with near-unanimous support

  
  

Source: CNN Business