Maria Cantwell - Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation | Official U.S. Senate headshot
Maria Cantwell - Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation | Official U.S. Senate headshot
On June 27, 2024, U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Ted Cruz (R-Texas) held a field hearing in Dallas, Texas titled “Take It Down: Ending Big Tech’s Complicity In Revenge Porn.” The hearing featured testimonies from victims of revenge and deepfake pornography, victim advocates, and experts who emphasized the lasting impact of these incidents on their lives. They also urged Congress to pass Sen. Cruz’s bipartisan Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites and Networks (TAKE IT DOWN) Act.
The TAKE IT DOWN Act aims to mandate social media sites and similar platforms to remove non-consensual intimate imagery within 48 hours of receiving notice from the victim and make the publication of such material a federal crime.
Ms. Elliston Berry, a high school student from Aledo, TX, shared her experience with AI-generated sexually exploitative imagery: “I was fourteen years old when a fellow classmate created AI nudes from just an innocent photo on Instagram... I will live in fear that these images will resurface.”
Her mother, Mrs. Anna McAdams, stressed the importance of the TAKE IT DOWN Act: “This bill would hold even minors accountable with jail time for this crime... If we had been Taylor Swift, they would have come down immediately.”
Ms. Francesca Mani from Westfield, NJ highlighted her struggle with similar issues: “No child, teenager, or woman should ever experience what we have experienced... We girls are on our own and considering that 96% of Deep Fake AI victims are women and children, we're also seriously vulnerable.”
Ms. Hollie Toups from Austin, TX described the long-term psychological impact of non-consensual intimate imagery: “For months after [the incident], I checked the internet every day to make sure my photos were not back up... These actions can inflict long-term harmful psychological repercussions for victims.”
Advocate Ms. Andrea Powell emphasized the need for federal legislation: “No survivor should stand alone in the face of their own abuse and injustice... This legislation creates protection and justice for every survivor.”
Mr. Stefan Turkheimer from Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) discussed the emotional distress faced by victims: “The victims of non-consensual intimate image distribution often endure significant emotional and psychological distress... Having legal recourse provides victims with a means to seek justice.”
Throughout the hearing, witnesses collectively underscored that without legislative action like the TAKE IT DOWN Act, tech companies remain unaccountable for allowing harmful content to persist online.
###
Alerts Sign-up