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A bipartisan group of US senators have introduced a new bill that would require social media companies and internet sites to take swift action against deepfake porn.
The “Take it Down Act,” introduced by Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), seeks to criminalize both the publication and the threat of publishing deep fake pornographic content. It would also require social media companies and internet sites to remove deepfake revenge porn within 48 hours.
In a statement, Senator Cruz said, “If you don’t happen to be in a situation where a sitting member of Congress intervenes on your behalf, you get a closed door and stonewalled. That is not fair, and that is not right. It should not take an elected member of Congress intervening to have these despicable lies pulled down from Snapchat.”
During the press conference, victims and their families, along with advocates against sexual violence, highlighted the necessity of the bill. Anna McAdams, mother of a victim, shared her struggle with getting deepfake images of her daughter removed, which took over eight months. “This bill will give us a voice that we did not have,” McAdams said. Reports indicate that 244,625 deepfake porn videos have surfaced on major internet platforms in the last seven years, with 96% of these being nonconsensual and predominantly featuring women.
While many states have laws against revenge porn and some even cover AI-generated deepfakes, this bill aims to enforce more stringent measures. Supported by over 30 interest groups, including the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and the National Organization for Women, the bill is also backed by 11 other senators.
This initiative is part of a broader legislative effort, with other bills already in the Senate. Other lawmakers, including Senator John Cornyn, have introduced similar legislation that would target nonconsensual deepfake content, proposing criminal penalties, including fines and imprisonment.
