By Diyar Guldogan
WASHINGTON (AA) - US President Donald Trump on Monday signed into law the Take It Down Act, a measure that criminalizes the publication of nonconsensual sexually explicit “deepfake” images and videos online.
The bill, which was sponsored by Sen. Ted Cruz and Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar, received bipartisan support in Congress.
It criminalizes the publication of non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII), including artificial intelligence (AI) generated NCII, or “deepfake revenge pornography.” It also requires social media and similar websites to remove such content within 48 hours of notice from a victim.
Signing the bill alongside his wife Melania, Trump said it is the “first ever federal law to combat the distribution of explicit imagery posted without subjects’ consent.”
"With the rise of AI image generation, countless women have been harassed with deepfakes and other explicit images distributed against their will,” he said.
“It’s just so horribly wrong, and it’s a very abusive situation, like in some cases, people have never seen before. And today, we’re making it totally illegal," he added.
Melania said the legislation is a "powerful step" forward in the efforts to ensure that "every American can feel better protected from their image or identity being abused through non-consensual intimate imagery or NCII."