Trump to Sign Landmark Legislation Against Nonconsensual Intimate Images
President Donald Trump is expected to sign the Take It Down Act into law today, according to CNN. This bipartisan legislation criminalizes the publication of “nonconsensual intimate visual depictions,” including AI-generated deepfakes. The law, which passed the US House of Representatives in April 2025, has sparked concerns among free speech advocates who worry that certain provisions could be abused to suppress speech.
The Take It Down Act aims to address the proliferation of nonconsensual, sexually exploitative images online. While some states have laws addressing this issue and online platforms have implemented takedown procedures, this federal law would establish a national standard. It would mandate the removal of offending posts and require companies to develop a system for requesting the removal of images or videos under the supervision of the Federal Trade Commission.
However, the Electronic Frontier Foundation has raised concerns about the law’s takedown provision, arguing that it covers a broader range of content than the bill’s narrower definition of nonconsensual intimate images. The EFF also notes that the law’s 48-hour timeframe for responding to complaints may lead smaller platforms to remove content without proper verification, potentially infringing on free speech rights.
President Trump has expressed interest in utilizing the new law personally, stating during a joint session of Congress in March, “I’m going to use that bill for myself, too, if you don’t mind. There’s nobody gets treated worse than I do online. Nobody.” Given the current composition of the FTC and the Trump administration’s lenient interpretation of existing laws, there are concerns that the law’s original intent could be misused.
The signing of the Take It Down Act marks a significant development in the ongoing debate between protecting individuals from nonconsensual intimate imagery and preserving free speech online.
