Payam Javan: President Donald Trump signed the “Take It Down Act” into law on May 19, 2025, in a White House Rose Garden ceremony, aiming to curb the spread of nonconsensual intimate imagery and AI-generated deepfakes. The bipartisan legislation, championed by First Lady Melania Trump as part of her Be Best initiative, criminalizes the distribution or threat of distributing such images without consent, with offenders facing up to three years in prison. Social media platforms and websites must remove flagged content within 48 hours of a victim’s request, facing penalties for noncompliance. The bill, inspired by cases like that of 14-year-old Elliston Berry, a deepfake victim, reflects broad support from lawmakers like Sens. Ted Cruz and Amy Klobuchar, who emphasized its role in protecting victims.

The legislation, passed by the Senate on February 13 and the House on April 28, addresses the growing threat of digital exploitation, particularly against women and children. First Lady Melania Trump highlighted the dangers of AI and social media, calling them “digital candy” that can harm cognitive development and emotional well-being. The signing ceremony, attended by advocates, victims, and lawmakers, underscored the bill’s bipartisan backing, with Meta endorsing its measures. Despite some concerns about potential First Amendment issues, supporters, including the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, praised the law as a vital step toward justice for victims of nonconsensual imagery.