Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) recently introduced a new bill that aims to combat the spread of artificially generated pornographic images involving real individuals, particularly minors.
Referred to as the Take it Down Act, this legislation would require tech companies to promptly remove AI-generated sexual content from their platforms and establish procedures to ensure its removal within 48 hours.
The bipartisan bill has garnered support from 15 lawmakers, including Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), and has also received endorsement from the National Center on Sexual Exploitation.
During a press conference, Yiota Souras, chief legal officer of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, emphasized the crucial need for this legislation in addressing the increasing prevalence of deepfake images.
Furthermore, the bill seeks to impose criminal penalties for the creation and dissemination of these harmful images, in addition to the existing civil recourse provided by current laws against revenge porn.
Senator Cruz highlighted the urgent need to protect young individuals, especially girls, from the traumatic impact of these deepfake images. He stressed the importance of swift action to prevent further harm to victims.
In a poignant example, 14-year-old Elliston Berry shared her experience of facing fake explicit images circulating on social media, underscoring the emotional toll such incidents can have on young victims.
Senator Cruz also drew attention to the disparate treatment faced by individuals like Elliston compared to high-profile figures like Taylor Swift, who were able to swiftly remove deepfake images through platform intervention.
The bill aims to hold social media companies accountable for their role in facilitating the spread of harmful content and to provide timely recourse for victims.
Senator Lummis emphasized the lasting impact that these incidents can have on victims and stressed the importance of addressing this issue promptly.
The legislation is poised to make a significant impact in protecting individuals, particularly minors, from the damaging effects of deepfake images.
For further comments on this bill, The Epoch Times has reached out to Senator Maria Cantwell for additional insights and perspectives.
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