Senate Passes Bipartisan Bill to Protect Teenagers from Online Image Abuse

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14, 2025 – The Senate unanimously passed the TAKE IT DOWN Act, which would set a national minimum level of protection for deepfake porn victims, on Thursday.

Sponsored by Senators Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., the legislation would criminalize the publication of “revenge porn” material and requires websites and internet media companies to remove non-consensual intimate deepfake imagery within 48 hours of receiving a notice from a victim.

“Under our bipartisan bill, those who knowingly spread this vile material will face criminal charges, and Big Tech companies must remove exploitative content without delay,” Cruz said in a statement following the vote.

While most states have protections in place for victims of non-consensual sexual deepfakes, 20 states still have not passed legislation on the issue. The TAKE IT DOWN Act would establish a nationwide baseline for governing the publication and distribution of such content. 

A national minimum would not override laws in states with additional protections, such as in New York, New Jersey, Illinois, and California.

The bill has garnered the support of more than 100 organizations, from anti-human trafficking groups to Big Tech leaders like Meta and Google. However, it still has to pass the House and be signed by President Trump before it can become law.

Reps. Maria Elvira Salazar, R-Fla., and Madeleine Dean, D-Pa., are pushing similar legislation through the House, which is currently under consideration in the Commerce Committee.

“The House should pass this bill and the President should sign it into law as soon as possible to protect victims of online abuse,” Klobuchar said.