Lawmakers passed the “Take It Down Act” this week, sending the legislation to the desk of President Donald Trump. First Lady Melania Trump supported the law, which “prohibits nonconsensual online publication of intimate visual depictions of individuals, both authentic and computer-generated.”
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“The widespread presence of abusive behavior in the digital domain effects the daily lives our children, families and communities,” she said last month. At the time, the first lady said she expected to see more Democratic leaders in support of the legislation.
Ultimately, the law passed in the Senate by unanimous consent and was passed by the House Monday in a nearly unanimous vote. All the Democrat votes were in favor of the legislation, while two Republicans – Rep. Eric Burlinson (R-Mo.) and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) – voted against the bill.
“Advancing this legislation has been a key focus since I returned to my role as First Lady this past January,” Melania said in an X post. “I am honored to have contributed to guiding it through Congress. By safeguarding children from hurtful online behavior today, we take a vital step in nurturing our leaders of tomorrow.”
House Republicans thanked the first lady for her support in an X post this week, as well as bill sponsors Rep. Maria Salazar (R-Fla.) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) also praised the House for taking a “critical step to combat the growing online publication of real and deepfake nonconsensual intimate images,” and thanked Melania, calling her leadership “instrumental.”
According to an article published last April by Durham University in the U.K., the most popular site dedicated to sexualized deepfake images garnered 17 million hits a month. It added that the content almost exclusively targets women.
Per its summary, the “Take It Down Act” requires certain online platforms to “promptly remove such depictions upon receiving notice of their existence.”
Furthermore, it prohibits the online publication of content that features an adult subject where publication is intended to cause or does cause harm to the subject, and where the depiction was published without the subject’s consent. It also prohibits publication of authentic depictions created or obtained under circumstances where the adult had a reasonable expectation of privacy. Publication of content featuring minor subjects “where publication is intended to abuse or harass the minor or to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person,” is also prohibited.
“Violators are subject to mandatory restitution and criminal penalties, including prison, a fine, or both,” the summary explained. “Threats to publish intimate visual depictions of a subject are similarly prohibited under the bill and subject to criminal penalties.”
A press release from Salazar said that the legislation is intended to protect victims from “revenge pornography” through these prohibitions and requirements.
“As a father, husband, and proud South Texan, I’m glad we got this important bill across the finish line in the House and the Senate in a bipartisan way,” said Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas).
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