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President Donald Trump signed the bipartisan “Take It Down Act,” a federal law aimed at curbing the spread of nonconsensual intimate imagery, including AI-generated “deepfakes,” by tightening criminal penalties and adding takedown obligations for internet platforms. The bill, signed on Monday, goes into effect immediately, according to the Associated Press.
The statute—introduced by Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota—also gained support from First Lady Melania Trump. Supporters say the law is meant to reduce the harm that can follow when intimate images are shared without consent, whether the images are real or created using artificial intelligence.
Supporters and the bill’s backers said the framework targets knowingly sharing intimate images or threatening to publish them without consent. The law also requires websites and social media companies to remove such material within 48 hours after receiving notice from a victim, and it calls for platforms to take steps to delete duplicate content.
Critics focused on the law’s scope and the mechanics of enforcement, saying the takedown provisions are too broad and could raise First Amendment concerns. The Electronic Frontier Foundation argued that the law’s takedown requirement could apply to a wider category of content than other laws that focus more narrowly on nonconsensual intimate imagery, potentially covering images involving intimate or sexual content beyond what the text intends.
The EFF also said the law’s process lacks safeguards against frivolous or bad-faith takedown requests and would force platforms to rely on automated filters. In its view, the 48-hour requirement often would not give services enough time to determine whether the content is actually illegal, which could encourage companies to remove material more broadly to reduce legal risk.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation added that the bill could pressure online services to monitor speech more actively, including content that is encrypted, in order to avoid liability. The Cyber Civil Rights Initiative said it also had “serious reservations,” arguing the takedown provision is unconstitutionally vague, unconstitutionally overbroad, and does not include adequate safeguards against misuse.
Supporters of the measure, including Meta, said its targets are real-world harms tied to intimate-image abuse. Meta spokesman Andy Stone said Meta “developed and backs many efforts to help prevent it,” arguing that sharing intimate images without consent—whether real or AI-generated—can be devastating.
Klobuchar, in a statement following the measure’s passage last month, said the legislation would provide victims of online abuse with “legal protections and tools” and that law enforcement would be able to hold perpetrators accountable. Cruz said the bill was inspired by Elliston Berry and her mother after Snapchat refused for nearly a year to remove an AI-generated deepfake of the then-14-year-old.
In addition to the criminal and platform-removal components, the Take It Down Act drew backing from other groups that described it as a step toward giving victims legal protections when intimate imagery is shared without consent. The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation said the legislation “is an important step forward,” describing it as helping people pursue justice when they are victims of non-consensual intimate imagery, including deepfakes.
The law’s signing comes amid growing public attention on AI-generated sexual content and deepfakes, while the debate over how to regulate distribution continues to center on whether faster takedowns can be achieved without infringing speech protections.