Bipartisan law criminalizes nonconsensual sharing of explicit AI-manipulated content

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump has signed into law the “Take It Down Act,” a bipartisan bill designed to crack down on the nonconsensual sharing of explicit photos and videos, including AI-generated deepfakes.

The legislation, hailed as a landmark in digital privacy and safety, makes it a federal crime to publish or distribute explicit content real or fabricated without the subject’s consent. This includes sexually explicit material altered by artificial intelligence to falsely depict individuals in compromising situations.

The First Lady, Melania Trump, stood beside the president during the White House signing ceremony, signaling the administration’s unified stance on protecting Americans from the abuses of emerging technologies.

“The digital world must not become a lawless space where people’s lives and reputations are destroyed by fake content,” President Trump said.

The act targets a growing threat in the age of AI, where deepfake technology often used to superimpose faces onto bodies in pornographic content has been weaponized for harassment, revenge, and defamation.

Supporters of the law say it provides critical legal protections to victims and sends a message that digital manipulation for exploitation will not be tolerated.

Opponents argue enforcement will be challenging due to jurisdictional and technological barriers, but civil rights groups have largely backed the legislation for its focus on consent and personal dignity.