New Jersey was the first state to acknowledge the dangers of “revenge porn,” banning the trend in 2004. Alaska followed its lead in 2006, and then Texas years later in 2015. More states jumped on board, often dealing with the confusing legality of protecting First Amendment rights, not having previous court cases to go off of, and addressing the ever-changing landscape of social media and deepfake technology.
Now, a Republican-led House of Representatives and Senate with the full support of first lady Melania Trump have passed a federal bill to protect those who might be affected by revenge porn. This is a major issue that helps women and has full bipartisan support, even from the most radical leftists who oppose everything President Donald Trump proposes.
The Take It Down Act, sponsored by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), makes it illegal to knowingly publish, or even threaten to publish, intimate images without the involved parties’ consent. It includes AI-created images and “deepfakes.”
“In 2016, 10 million people, or 2% of Americans had reported being victims of nonconsensual porn,” the National Association of Attorneys General writes. “Individuals ages 18-29 generally, and women aged 18-29 specifically, as well as LGTBQ+ Americans were victimized at even higher rates. In 2017, the number of young Americans ages 18-29 who had become victims of nonconsensual porn jumped to 12%, an increase of over 100%.