In a rare moment of sanity in Washington, President Trump just signed a bill that finally criminalizes one of the most vicious forms of digital assault plaguing Americans.
President Donald Trump has signed the bipartisan “Take It Down Act” into law, establishing federal criminal penalties for distributing nonconsensual intimate images and AI-generated deepfakes. The legislation, championed by First Lady Melania Trump and supported by Senators Ted Cruz and Amy Klobuchar, imposes prison sentences of up to three years for offenders. Websites must now remove such content within 48 hours of receiving takedown requests or face penalties. The bill comes as a response to growing concerns about the exploitation of digital technology, particularly its impact on young people and the increasingly sophisticated AI-generated fake imagery.
Finally, Washington Does Something Useful to Protect Americans
Well, folks, it’s not often I get to report that our government actually did something sensible, but here we are. President Trump just signed legislation that tackles a genuine problem affecting real Americans instead of throwing billions more at some foreign war or creating another useless bureaucracy. On May 19, Trump put pen to paper on the “Take It Down Act,” a law aimed at combating the spreading plague of revenge porn and AI-generated deepfakes that have ruined countless lives across the country. And in a refreshing change of pace, this bill actually had bipartisan support – proving that occasionally, just occasionally, Washington can function when confronted with actual human suffering.
The legislation creates serious consequences for those who publish or threaten to publish intimate images without consent, including AI-fabricated ones. Offenders can now face up to three years behind bars – which seems perfectly reasonable for people who deliberately set out to destroy others’ lives and reputations with a few mouse clicks. The law also forces websites and social media platforms to remove this content within 48 hours after a victim requests takedown. Imagine that – actually holding Big Tech accountable for once instead of letting them hide behind Section 230 protections while lives are shattered.
President Trump will sign legislation that will ban the nonconsensual online publication of sexually explicit images and videos that are both authentic and computer-generated. https://t.co/YTKHjLolLw
— NBC Politics (@NBCPolitics) May 19, 2025
Melania’s Mission to Protect Children from Digital Predators
First Lady Melania Trump deserves significant credit for championing this legislation as part of her “Be Best” initiative focused on children’s welfare. While the mainstream media was busy mocking her accent or criticizing her Christmas decorations, she was actually working to protect America’s most vulnerable from the dark side of our digital world. At the signing ceremony, she highlighted the particularly devastating impact these technologies can have on children, who are increasingly targeted by these despicable acts. The legislation was partly inspired by cases like that of Elliston Berry, a 14-year-old victim of AI-generated deepfakes who attended the ceremony.
Unlike much of the performative “think of the children” legislation that comes out of Washington, this bill actually gives victims real recourse and creates consequences for perpetrators. It passed the Senate on February 13 and the House on April 28, showing that when it comes to protecting innocent people from having their lives destroyed by technology, even our perpetually gridlocked Congress can occasionally put politics aside. The signing ceremony brought together lawmakers, advocates, and victims in a display of unity that’s become increasingly rare in our polarized political landscape.
Even Big Tech Couldn’t Oppose This One
In what might be the most shocking development of all, even Meta – the company formerly known as Facebook that usually fights tooth and nail against any regulation – publicly endorsed this legislation. When even Mark Zuckerberg’s empire is forced to acknowledge that something must be done, you know the problem has reached catastrophic proportions. Of course, it’s also a sign that they recognize the PR disaster of opposing a bill designed to protect children and adults from sexual exploitation. Either way, their support removes one of the usual roadblocks to meaningful tech regulation.
Some critics have raised concerns about potential First Amendment implications and unintended censorship. While those concerns shouldn’t be dismissed outright, the reality is that distributing intimate images of someone without their consent isn’t “free speech” – it’s a form of assault. And with AI technology making it increasingly impossible to distinguish between real and fake imagery, the potential for harm has expanded exponentially. The bill strikes a reasonable balance between free expression and protecting innocent people from having their lives ruined by malicious actors with a computer and an axe to grind.
A Rare Win in the Culture War
In our increasingly divided country, this legislation represents a small but significant victory in the battle to maintain some semblance of human dignity in the digital age. While our government obsesses over pronouns and bathrooms, Americans have been suffering real harm from revenge porn and deepfakes with little recourse. This law provides actual protection against a growing threat that transcends political boundaries. Senators Cruz and Klobuchar – who couldn’t be further apart ideologically – found common ground on this issue, proving that despite the endless culture war battles, there are still some values most Americans share.
The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, normally skeptical of government regulation, supported the bill as an important step forward in helping victims. That’s because unlike so much of what comes out of Washington these days, this legislation addresses a real problem with practical solutions instead of empty virtue signaling. In an era where our lawmakers seem more interested in landing zingers on social media than solving problems, the Take It Down Act stands as proof that occasionally, just occasionally, our system can still work as intended.
