Legislation combats the spread of non-consensual deepfakes online
On Monday, the House of Representatives passed the TAKE IT DOWN Act, legislation to stop the spread of non-consensual intimate images (NCII), including deepfakes, online. The bill passed by a vote of 409 to 2. The TAKE IT DOWN Act has already passed the Senate, and if signed by the president, will become the first major law governing online content since 2018. Both Melania Trump and President Donald Trump have endorsed the legislation.
“For the first time in years, Congress is passing legislation to protect vulnerable communities online and requiring tech giants to clean up their act,” said Americans for Responsible Innovation (ARI) President Brad Carson. “This bill is going to make a difference in the lives of victims and prevent another generation from being targeted with non-consensual intimate deepfakes. It’s also proof that Congress can muster the bipartisan willpower to pass tech legislation and address online harms. There’s more work to do and this should not be the only tech policy bill Congress passes this year.”
The TAKE IT DOWN Act criminalizes the publication of non-consensual, sexually exploitative images and requires digital platforms to remove NCII within 48 hours of notice. For more analysis on the TAKE IT DOWN Act, read today’s op-ed from former Biden DOJ official Slade Bond.
During Congress’s consideration of the TAKE IT DOWN Act, ARI brought multiple coalitions together in support of the legislation, including coalitions of anti-trafficking and children’s advocacy groups, grassroots organizations, and legal scholars.
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Americans for Responsible Innovation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to policy advocacy in the public interest, focused on emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI). Learn more at ARI.us.