WASHINGTON, D.C. – A bill designed to battle artificial intelligence-created deepfakes and revenge porn will go to President Donald Trump’s desk for approval after passing the U.S. House on Monday.
Take It Down Act Passes House
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 03: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) speaks during a roundtable discussion on the “Take It Down Act” in the Mike Mansfield Room at the U.S. Capitol on March 03, 2025 in Washington, DC. The “Take It Down Act” expands protections for vi
What we know:
The Take It Down Act, written by U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), passed by a 409-2 vote. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) co-sponsored the bill.
It passed the U.S. Senate for a second time in February after stalling late last year.
The Take it Down Act is legislation introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas that makes it unlawful to knowingly publish “non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII), including “digital forgeries” created with AI software (or deepfake pornography), and require social media and similar websites to have in place procedures to remove such content upon notification from a victim,” according to a 2024 release from Cruz’s office.
What we don’t know:
It is not clear when President Trump will sign the bill into law, but he said in his joint address to Congress that he plans to approve it.
Big picture view:
Most states have laws protecting individuals from revenge porn, but only 20 states have explicit laws covering deepfake non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII), per a release from Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar of Florida.
Researchers tell the Associated Press that the number of explicit deepfakes have increased in the last several years, as the technology used to create these explicit images is more accessible and easier to use.
What they’re saying:
“The passage of the TAKE IT DOWN Act is a historic win in the fight to protect victims of revenge porn and deepfake abuse. This victory belongs first and foremost to the heroic survivors who shared their stories and the advocates who never gave up. By requiring social media companies to take down this abusive content quickly, we are sparing victims from repeated trauma and holding predators accountable,” said Sen. Cruz in a statement.
Texas victim supported bill
Aledo teen Elliston Berry sits with Melania Trump
Aledo teenager Elliston Berry joined First Lady Melania Trump for President Trump’s joint address to Congress. Berry is a driving force behind the ‘Take It Down Act’ meant to punish people who use artificial intelligence to create fake pornographic images.
Local perspective:
Elliston Berry of Aledo was 14 years old when a classmate took an image off social media and used a computer program to create fake naked photos of her.
Berry says she and her mother tried to get the image of her removed for months, but struggled to get replies.
Senate passed Take It Down Act
The bill was created to stop what is called deepfakes, AI-generated explicit images of people, posted on social media. The revenge porn issue impacted a Fort Worth teen, and it’s happened to others around the country.
The teen appeared with Sen. Cruz multiple times to share her story and attempt to get the Take It Down Act passed.
Berry was a guest of First Lady Melania Trump during the President’s joint address to Congress in March.
What they’re saying:
“When I was just 14 years old, my life changed forever after a boy at my school used AI to create deepfake images of me. I knew I could never go back and undo what he did, but I wanted to do anything to help prevent this from happening to others. With the passage of the TAKE IT DOWN Act, we can protect future generations from having to experience the pain I went through. The outpouring of support for this bill has been amazing to see, and I’ve been truly inspired by how so many of America’s leaders and major tech organizations have come together to promote this important cause. I am grateful to Sen. Cruz and Sen. Klobuchar for listening to my story and to First Lady Melania Trump for helping bring even more attention to our efforts to turn this horrible situation into something good,” Berry said in a statement after the bill passed.
The Source: Information in this article comes from Sen. Ted Cruz and past FOX coverage.
Artificial IntelligenceTexasTed CruzCrime and Public Safety
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