Rep. Dean helps introduce ‘Take It Down’ Act to address internet deepfakes and illicit photos of children

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July 12th, 2024 | By Ryan Genova

Congresswoman Madeleine Dean, whose office is in Glenside, has helped introduce the Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites and Network (TAKE IT DOWN) Act.

According to a press release, the bill “protects victims of real and deepfaked non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII) and prohibits bad actors from distributing naked photos of children with the intent to harass, abuse or degrade them, or for sexual gratification.”

“Artificial Intelligence is rapidly evolving—our government must meet this moment with urgency, especially when addressing the dangers of explicit deepfakes and non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII) that often devastate girls and women,” Rep. Dean said. “We must defend victims—regardless of whether their attackers used deepfake technology or a simple camera—and ensure these images are removed from the Internet. I’m thankful to work with Congresswoman Salazar on this bipartisan legislation that will better protect victims and meaningfully regulate AI.”

The bill would protect and empower children and victims of real and deepfake NCII, while protecting lawful speech. Specifically, the bill:

  • Bans the publication of NCII or the threat to publish NCII in interstate commerce;
  • Prohibits the distribution of nude images of children with the intent to harass or degrade them, or to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person.
  • Permits certain good faith disclosures of NCII, including reports intended for law enforcement or medical treatment; and
  • Requires websites to take down photos and videos within 48 hours of a victim’s report.

The following Senators introduced a companion bill: Ted Cruz (R-TX), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Ted Budd (R-NC), Laphonza Butler (D-CA), Todd Young (R-IN), Joe Manchin (I-WV), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Barrasso (R-WY), John Thune (R-SD), and Roger Wicker (R-MS).

To read the full text of the legislation, you can click here.

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