Trump signs bipartisan bill tackling 'horrific' revenge porn, AI deepfakes

President Donald Trump signed the Take It Down Act into law on Monday, a bill that toughens penalties for the distribution of revenge porn and AI-generated deepfakes.

The bill was first introduced by Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota before it was additionally spearheaded by first lady Melania Trump. The bill, which passed both the House and the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support, aims to hold both individuals and platforms accountable for distributing nonconsensual materials.

'This legislation is a powerful step forward in our efforts to ensure that every American, especially young people, can feel better protected from their image or identity being abused.'

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"The TAKE IT DOWN Act gives victims of revenge and deepfake pornography — many of whom are young girls — the ability to fight back," Cruz said in a statement. "Under our bipartisan bill, those who knowingly spread this vile material will face criminal charges, and Big Tech companies must remove exploitative content without delay."

"As we worked on the TAKE IT DOWN Act, more victims courageously came forward to share their stories to help end this horrific online abuse," Cruz added.

The bill criminalizes individuals and platforms that "knowingly publish" deepfakes or revenge porn and requires platforms to remove the materials within 48 hours of notification. Although the majority of states already have laws prohibiting the dissemination of this nonconsensual content, the Take It Down Act implements these regulations at the federal level.

"This legislation is a powerful step forward in our efforts to ensure that every American, especially young people, can feel better protected from their image or identity being abused," Melania Trump said at a press conference before the bill signing.

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"As a father of three young girls, I’m deeply concerned about the rise of deepfakes and nonconsensual intimate images in our country. It is sickening, it is harmful, and it must be stopped — and this law is a major step forward in protecting victims and restoring online accountability," Republican Rep. August Pfluger of Texas told Blaze News.

"I was proud to co-lead this legislation in the House and commend Rep. Salazar, Senator Cruz, and first lady Melania Trump for their leadership in driving it across the finish line," Pfluger added. "I also thank President Trump for taking decisive action to cement this legislation into law."

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