S146119th CongressWALLET

TAKE IT DOWN Act

Sponsored By: Senator Ted Cruz

Became Law

Summary

Prohibits nonconsensual intimate visual depictions online and requires platforms to remove them quickly. It makes publishing or threatening to publish real or digitally forged intimate images a federal crime and creates a platform notice-and-removal duty.

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  • Victims and families can ask platforms to remove images and seek justice. Platforms must remove validly reported intimate depictions within 48 hours and courts can order restitution and forfeiture of proceeds.
  • Minors get stronger protection. Posting or threatening to post intimate images or deepfakes of minors to harass or arouse others triggers heightened criminal penalties, including longer prison terms for some offenses.
  • Covered platforms must set up a removal process within 1 year and make reasonable efforts to remove identical copies. The Federal Trade Commission enforces takedowns as unfair or deceptive acts and gives platforms limited liability for good-faith removals.
  • The law creates new federal crimes for intentional disclosure or threats involving nonconsensual intimate depictions and digital forgeries and preserves listed exceptions for law enforcement, medical, and legal uses.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Which websites and apps are covered

The law defines a "covered platform" as a public website, app, or online service that mainly hosts user content or that regularly publishes nonconsensual intimate images. It excludes broadband and email providers. It also excludes services that mainly post provider-selected content unless they regularly publish nonconsensual intimate images. This definition decides which services must follow the notice-and-removal rules.

New crimes for nonconsensual intimate images

The law makes it a crime to post private intimate images or fake intimate images of adults without consent. Posting intimate images of minors to humiliate or arouse is also criminal. Convictions can bring prison time: up to 2 years for adults and up to 3 years for minors. Courts must order forfeiture of materials and profits and restitution to victims.

Platform takedown and consent rules

Not later than one year after enactment, covered platforms must publish a written way for people to request removal of nonconsensual intimate images. Requests must include a signature, contact info, and enough details to find the image. Platforms must remove a valid request as soon as possible and within 48 hours and try to remove identical copies. The law clarifies that agreeing to create or share an image is not the same as agreeing to have it published, and it extends certain platform legal defenses to these new rules.

FTC enforcement for platform takedowns

The law lets the Federal Trade Commission treat a platform's failure to follow the takedown rules as an unfair or deceptive practice. The FTC can use its normal enforcement powers and procedures to enforce the new requirements. The law also extends enforcement reach to certain nonprofit organizations in specified cases.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Ted Cruz

TX • R

Cosponsors

  • Shelley Capito

    WV • R

    Sponsored 1/16/2025

  • Richard Blumenthal

    CT • D

    Sponsored 1/16/2025

  • Bill Cassidy

    LA • R

    Sponsored 1/16/2025

  • Cory Booker

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 1/16/2025

  • John Barrasso

    WY • R

    Sponsored 1/16/2025

  • Jacky Rosen

    NV • D

    Sponsored 1/16/2025

  • Cynthia Lummis

    WY • R

    Sponsored 1/16/2025

  • John Hickenlooper

    CO • D

    Sponsored 1/16/2025

  • Ted Budd

    NC • R

    Sponsored 1/16/2025

  • Marsha Blackburn

    TN • R

    Sponsored 1/16/2025

  • Roger Wicker

    MS • R

    Sponsored 1/16/2025

  • Todd Young

    IN • R

    Sponsored 1/16/2025

  • John Curtis

    UT • R

    Sponsored 1/16/2025

  • Tim Sheehy

    MT • R

    Sponsored 1/16/2025

  • Raphael Warnock

    GA • D

    Sponsored 1/16/2025

  • Martin Heinrich

    NM • D

    Sponsored 1/16/2025

  • Gary Peters

    MI • D

    Sponsored 1/16/2025

  • Adam Schiff

    CA • D

    Sponsored 1/21/2025

  • Catherine Cortez Masto

    NV • D

    Sponsored 2/5/2025

  • Jeanne Shaheen

    NH • D

    Sponsored 2/6/2025

  • Amy Klobuchar

    MN • D

    Sponsored 1/16/2025

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 409 • No: 2

house vote • 4/28/2025

On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass

Yes: 409 • No: 2

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