In a significant move to combat the misuse of artificial intelligence and protect individuals from digital exploitation, the United States has introduced a new law that enforces strict penalties against the sharing of explicit content without consent, including AI-generated deepfakes and revenge porn.
The newly passed legislation, known as the Take It Down Act, makes it a criminal offence to publish or distribute such explicit imagery, whether real or artificially generated. Offenders could face fines, prison time, and be required to compensate victims.
A key provision of the law mandates that online platforms and social media companies must remove reported non-consensual content within 48 hours of notification. Moreover, they are responsible for ensuring that duplicate versions of the same content are also taken down, reinforcing accountability in digital spaces.
Although many U.S. states have previously taken action on this issue, this law marks the first time a federal-level policy holds tech companies directly responsible for regulating harmful content involving explicit deepfakes.
The initiative received strong support from across political lines, with several prominent lawmakers pushing for swift action following incidents where platforms delayed removing harmful AI-altered content. One particularly disturbing case involved an AI-generated deepfake image of a teenage girl that went unremoved for nearly a year, which sparked national outrage and urgency.
While the law has been widely praised for protecting victims of online abuse, some civil liberties groups have expressed concerns over the potential for overreach. Critics argue that broad interpretations of the law could lead to the censorship of legally permissible content or even criticism of government policies.
As India sees a rise in the use of generative AI tools and growing concerns over privacy in the digital era, similar legislation could be on the horizon to safeguard users, especially women and minors, from AI-driven harassment and digital violations.
Via: Techcrunch
