A bill supported by First Lady Melania Trump is now sitting on President Trump’s desk, awaiting his signature.
The bill, called the “Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites and Networks (TAKE IT DOWN) Act” and introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), was passed unanimously by the Senate in February.
According to a legislative summary, the bill “generally prohibits the nonconsensual online publication of intimate visual depictions of individuals, both authentic and computer-generated, and requires certain online platforms to promptly remove such depictions upon receiving notice of their existence.”
In the House, the bill was approved in a 409-2 vote, with Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Eric Burlison (R-MO) voting against the legislation.
“Today’s bipartisan passage of the Take It Down Act is a powerful statement that we stand united in protecting the dignity, privacy, and safety of our children,” First Lady Melania Trump said in a statement. “I am thankful to the Members of Congress—both in the House and Senate—who voted to protect the well-being of our youth. Through this critical legislation and our continued focus with ‘Be Best,’ we are building a future where every child can thrive and achieve their full potential.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson thanked Trump for “championing this important legislation that empowers and provides protections to victims of online sexual exploitation,” noting her “leadership has been instrumental in the bill’s passage, and we look forward to seeing this signed into law.”
Ahead of the vote, Massie said he planned to vote “no” because he felt the bill was a “slippery slope, ripe for abuse, with unintended consequences.”
