Federal Law Against Non-Consensual Explicit Images
President Trump signed a cross-party draft law on Monday that makes it a federal crime to publish real and fake sexually explicit pictures of people without their consent. The invoice, known as the "Take it" law, was supported by First Lady Melania Trump, who rarely performed publicly in the US Capitol in March to advocate for the law’s adoption in the house.
Background and Support
The draft law solved the lower chamber last month after the Senate passed the measure in February. "This will be the first federal law that combats the distribution of explicit pictures without the consent of the test subjects," said Trump during a law signing at the White House. "We will not tolerate online sexual exploitation." The First Lady described the law as "a national victory that will help parents and families protect children from online exploitation".
Key Provisions
The law obliges social media companies and other websites to remove pictures and videos, including Deepfakes generated by artificial intelligence, within 48 hours of a victim’s request. Those convicted of deliberately distributing explicit images without a subject’s consent will face federal penalties. The First Lady emphasized the importance of protecting children from online exploitation, stating that "artificial intelligence and social media are the digital sweets for the next generation – sweet, addictive, and constructed to influence the cognitive development of our children".
Industry Response
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, as well as TikTok and Snapchat, expressed support for the legislation. However, digital rights groups have warned that the law could lead to the suppression of lawful speech, including legitimate pornography, and lacks protection against overly broad inquiries from law enforcement.
Conclusion
The signing of the law marks a significant step towards combating online sexual exploitation. While the law has received support from industry leaders, concerns remain about its potential impact on free speech and the need for careful implementation to ensure its effectiveness in protecting victims of non-consensual explicit image sharing.
