Donald Trump signs 'Take It Down' Act to fight against 'revenge porn'

On Monday, President Trump and his wife Melania signed the ‘Take It Down Act’ in a ceremony at the White House Rose Garden. The act ensures it is against the law to share someone’s intimate images, whether these are real or created using AI, without the person’s consent.

During a time when high-quality deepfakes are now simple to produce, the act was introduced by the First Lady of the United States, Melania Trump and she also symbolically signed it.

"With the rise of AI image generation, countless women have been harassed with deepfakes and other explicit images distributed against their will," Trump said while signing the bill, reported AFP.

"And today we're making it illegal…Anyone who intentionally distributes explicit images without the subject's consent will face up to three years in prison," he added.

Key Highlights

• Trump signs law banning non-consensual sharing of real or AI-generated explicit images.
• Melania Trump championed the bill to protect children and individuals online.
• The bill passed Congress with strong bipartisan support (409-2).

While the bill was being signed, Melania Trump called it a success for the nation, as it will aid parents in defending children against online dangers.

"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," AFP quoted her as saying.

According to USA Today, back in 2024, Senator Ted Cruz, from Texas (a Republican) and Amy Klobuchar, from Minnesota (a Democrat), proposed the ‘Take It Down’ bill which Melania Trump also spoke in favor of. On its introduction to US Congress, the bill received strong support from all parties and was ratified by a vote of 409-2 in April.