The bill unanimously passed the Senate and still needs to clear the House.
A bill that would criminalize deepfake and revenge pornography has secured the backing of First Lady Melania Trump.
Delivering her first public remarks since her husband took office, Trump urged Congress to pass the Take It Down Act on March 3, noting its alignment with her “Be Best” initiative’s focus on online safety.
“This legislation is essential for addressing the growing concerns related to online safety, protecting individual rights, and promoting a healthier digital environment,” she told members of both congressional chambers at a round table on Capitol Hill.
“By advocating this bill, Congress can take an important step towards ensuring accountability and fostering responsible online behavior. The Take It Down Act bill represents a powerful step toward justice, healing, and unity.”
The bill, introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), would make it illegal to knowingly publish or threaten to publish non-consensual intimate imagery—often called revenge porn—online. Such images are often generated through artificial intelligence (AI), which can make fake pictures or videos appear authentic.
Cruz said the legislation was inspired by the personal story of one of his constituents, Elliston Berry of Aledo, Texas, who became a victim of deepfake pornography at just 14 years old.
Recounting her experience for lawmakers, Berry said she woke up one morning to a friend’s messages notifying her that AI-generated photos of her face on a nude body were circulating on social media.
“Fear, shock, and disgust were just some of the many emotions I felt,” Berry said. “I felt responsible and began to blame myself and was ashamed to tell my parents, despite doing nothing wrong.”
Berry’s mother repeatedly contacted Snapchat, begging for the photos to be removed from the platform. Nine months later, when she turned to Cruz for help, the images were still there.
The senator said the photos were removed after his office called the company.
“It should not take a sitting senator or sitting member of Congress picking up the phone to get a picture down or a video down,” he said. “It should be the right of every American. Every teenage girl victimized should have the right to get this garbage taken down, and this bill will give them that right as a matter of federal law.”
