by WorldTribune Staff / 247 Real News April 29, 2025

Legislation which cracks down on the posting online of explicit images, including revenge porn, and “deep fake” nudes generated by artificial intelligence passed the House by a 409-2 vote on Monday.

The bill, backed by first lady Melania Trump, now heads to President Donald Trump’s desk.

AI-generated deepfake pornography, where digitally altered photos and videos can make someone appear to do anything, has become a major problem, Melania Trump said in pressing for the Take it Down Act last month. / Video Image

“Advancing this legislation has been a key focus since I returned to my role as First Lady this past January,” Melania Trump wrote on X. “I am honored to have contributed to guiding it through Congress. By safeguarding children from hurtful online behavior today, we take a vital step in nurturing our leaders of tomorrow. #BeBest”

The “Take it down” Act, Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites and Networks, “generally prohibits the nonconsensual online publication of intimate visual depictions of individuals, both authentic and computer-generated, and requires certain online platforms to promptly remove such depictions upon receiving notice of their existence,” according to the bill summary.

The legislation prohibits online publication of “intimate visual depictions” of an adult subject “where publication is intended to cause or does cause harm to the subject, and where the depiction was published without the subject’s consent or, in the case of an authentic depiction, was created or obtained under circumstances where the adult had a reasonable expectation of privacy,” as well as “a minor subject where publication is intended to abuse or harass the minor or to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person.”

“Violators are subject to mandatory restitution and criminal penalties, including prison, a fine, or both,” according to the bill summary. “Threats to publish intimate visual depictions of a subject are similarly prohibited under the bill and subject to criminal penalties.”

Online platforms are required under the legislation to establish a process where victims of revenge porn can notify them of the existence of images and request removal. The bill states that platforms then have 48 hours to remove those images.

Two Republicans – Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Eric Burlison of Missouri – voted against the legislation.

“I’m voting NO because I feel this is a slippery slope, ripe for abuse, with unintended consequences,” Massie wrote on X.

Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz introduced the bill in January and it was approved by the Senate in February. It was brought to the House by Florida Republican Rep. Maria Salazar.

“The passage of the TAKE IT DOWN Act is a historic win in the fight to protect victims of revenge porn and deepfake abuse,” Cruz wrote on X. “This victory belongs first and foremost to the heroic survivors who shared their stories and the advocates who never gave up. By requiring social media companies to take down this abusive content quickly, we are sparing victims from repeated trauma and holding predators accountable.”

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  Melania-backed ‘Take it Down Act’ passes House overwhelmingly, WorldTribune.com