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
The U.S. Senate has unanimously passed the TAKE IT DOWN Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by Senators Ted Cruz and Amy Klobuchar. The legislation aims to criminalize the publication of non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII), including AI-generated deepfake content, often referred to as "revenge porn." The bill requires social media platforms and similar websites to remove such content within 48 hours of notification from a victim.
Senator Cruz highlighted the importance of the legislation, stating: “Over the past several months, courageous victims of AI-deepfake ‘revenge porn’ have shared their stories to raise awareness and inform lawmakers’ efforts to stop this despicable behavior. Passage of our bipartisan TAKE IT DOWN Act will give innocent victims — many of whom are teenage girls —the opportunity to seek justice against deviants who publish these abusive images.”
Senator Klobuchar added: “We must provide victims of online abuse with the legal protections they need when intimate images are shared without their consent, especially now that deepfakes are creating horrifying new opportunities for abuse.”
The bill has garnered support from nearly 90 organizations, including advocacy groups and tech industry leaders like Google, Microsoft, Meta, TikTok, and others. RAINN spearheaded a letter urging swift passage of the bill alongside other groups.
Companion legislation has been introduced in the House by Representatives Maria Elvira Salazar and Madeleine Dean. The TAKE IT DOWN Act also received endorsements from editorial boards such as those from the Seattle Times and Houston Chronicle.
In addressing NCII issues at state levels where laws vary significantly in classification and penalties, this federal initiative seeks to provide consistent protection for victims. Previously passed legislation allowed civil action against offenders but was deemed impractical due to its complexities.
The TAKE IT DOWN Act intends to criminalize NCII publication in interstate commerce while ensuring good faith disclosures can be made lawfully. It mandates that websites remove offending material promptly upon receiving valid requests from victims.
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