Trump Signs Bipartisan ‘Take It Down Act’ into Law to Combat AI-Generated Exploitation

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – President Donald Trump signed the bipartisan “Take It Down Act” into law Monday during a ceremony in the White House Rose Garden, calling the effort “one of the greatest moments of bipartisanship I have seen.” The law makes it a federal crime to share or threaten to share nonconsensual intimate images — including AI-generated deepfakes — and requires social media platforms to remove such content within 48 hours of notification.

Flanked by lawmakers, victims, and First Lady Melania Trump, the president praised the unity behind the legislation. “We’ve shown that bipartisanship is possible,” Trump said. “It’s the first time I’ve seen such a level of bipartisanship — a beautiful thing to do.” The bill, co-sponsored by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), passed unanimously in the Senate and 409-2 in the House.

First Lady Melania Trump, who has championed the cause since returning to the White House, called the law a vital step to protect the next generation. “Artificial intelligence and social media are like digital candy — sweet, addictive, and engineered to impact cognitive development,” she said. “But unlike sugar, these technologies can be weaponized to harm emotions, beliefs, and even lives.”

The law carries prison terms of up to three years for sharing explicit deepfakes of minors and up to two years for adult victims. Threats to share such content carry additional penalties. Among those joining the First Lady were teen victims Elliston Berry and Francesca Mani, who shared their traumatic experiences with AI-altered imagery being spread at school. “This is unacceptable,” Berry said. “The Take It Down Act will give a voice to the victims and provide justice.”

The ceremony also featured emotional testimony from South Carolina Rep. Brandon Guffey, whose son Gavin took his life after being extorted online. “From contact to suicide, it was an hour and 40 minutes,” he said. “We must act to prevent this tragedy from repeating.”

Melania Trump concluded, “This bill represents a powerful step toward justice, healing, and unity.” The Take It Down Act establishes the first nationwide standard for combating digital sexual abuse, especially involving AI — a growing threat to online safety.

Latest Worthy News