Publishing or distributing sexually explicit material of a person without their consent is now a federal crime, and social media platforms and other websites must remove such images within 48 hours of notification.
That’s the gist of the bipartisan Take It Down Act President Donald Trump signed into law May 19, which First Lady and former international model Melania Trump lauded as a major point of her Be Best Initiative, and which sex abuse watchdog groups applauded.
“As First Lady, my Be Best initiative is focused on improving children’s well-being, encouraging kindness, and creating a safer online environment for our youth,” she said as Trump signed the act into law. “Today, I am proud to say that the values of Be Best will be reflected in the law of the land. … Now, we look to the Federal Trade Commission and the private sector to do their part.”
The law criminalizes nonconsensual images including AI-generated content commonly called “deepfake pornography,” as well as video images and photography either created without the subject’s consent or distributed without such consent.
In a statement released on social media, the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission said Southern Baptists “applaud” Trump’s signing the bill.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Diana Chandler and originally published by Baptist Press.
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