US Outlaws “Revenge Porn” with New Legislation

US President Donald Trump has signed the Take It Down Act(revenge Porn), making it a federal crime to publish intimate images of a person without their consent. The legislation, which passed the US Congress with near-unanimous support, also applies to realistic-looking AI-created images, known as “deepfakes”. Trump said, “With the rise of AI image generation, countless women have been harassed with deepfakes and other explicit images distributed against their will. This is … wrong … just so horribly wrong. It’s a very abusive situation … And today we’re making it totally illegal.”

The law obligates social media platforms to remove such images within 48 hours when requested by victims. First Lady Melania Trump, who championed the legislation, described the law as a “powerful step forward in our efforts to ensure that every American, especially young people, can feel better protected from their image or identity being abused”.

However, digital rights groups have raised concerns about the law’s impact on free expression, user privacy, and due process. The Electronic Frontier Foundation said, “Lawful content – including satire, journalism, and political speech – could be wrongly censored.” They also noted that the 48-hour removal timeframe may lead to automated filters flagging legal content, including fair-use commentary and news reporting.

The legislation has received bipartisan support and backing from organizations dedicated to combating sexual harassment and assault.

The new law reflects a growing effort to address the misuse of technology, particularly AI, in creating and disseminating harmful content, and highlights the ongoing debate between protecting individuals from harm and preserving freedom of expression online.