Former President Donald Trump has officially signed the "Take It Down Act" into law, introducing sweeping federal regulations aimed at combatting the nonconsensual online distribution of sexually explicit images and videos, including AI-generated content. The law targets both authentic and computer-generated materials, such as deepfake pornography, that are shared without consent.
Under the new legislation, individuals who publish such content face severe penalties, including potential prison time, fines, or both. The law also applies to those who make threats to release intimate imagery—a growing form of digital harassment. Special provisions were included to address the rise of artificial intelligence in the creation of explicit visual media.
To support enforcement, the bill tasks the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) with requiring websites and platforms to take down flagged content within 48 hours after receiving a removal request from a victim. Sites are also mandated to make good-faith efforts to scrub all copies of the material from their platforms.
The law’s passage is seen as a significant step in addressing digital exploitation and protecting individuals from modern forms of image-based abuse. Advocates argue the legislation is long overdue in an era where AI can be used to manipulate visual media and violate privacy at scale.
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