On Monday, Melania Trump is scheduled to speak at an event in support of the TAKE IT DOWN Act, legislation that would protect Americans from deepfake and revenge pornography. The bill, introduced by Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), would criminalize the publication of non-consensual, sexually exploitative images — including AI-generated deepfakes — and require online platforms to have in place notice and takedown processes. In February, the Senate passed the TAKE IT DOWN Act with unanimous support.
“The First Lady has a long history of supporting online safety efforts for young people,” said ARI Senior VP of Government Affairs Doug Calidas. “Today, new AI tools and deepfake content are threatening to harm our youngest generation. Over just the last year, 15 percent of high-school students have had experiences with non-consensual intimate images or deepfakes. It makes sense that Melania’s work in the White House will expand to address AI’s impact on kids.”
ARI has led a coalition of over two dozen organizations urging the House of Representatives to pass the TAKE IT DOWN Act and DEFIANCE Act, another bill addressing AI deepfakes, following their passage in the Senate. ARI and AI policy group ENCODE also led a joint petition, gathering over 7,500 petitions in support of the two bills.
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Americans for Responsible Innovation (ARI) 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.
