U.S. enforces law to crack down on sexual deepfakes

The proliferation of artificial intelligence tools have made it easier to create and spread nonconsensual, deepfake sexual images of anyone. But targets of this form of harassment have options. (d3sign/Moment RF/Getty Images)

The United States on Tuesday began enforcing a law requiring tech platforms to remove sexual deepfakes and other non-consensual intimate imagery, but experts warned of shortcomings and raised online censorship concerns.

U.S. President Donald Trump signed the Take It Down Act last year, criminalizing the online distribution of non-consensual sexual imagery that is often created using cheap and widely available artificial intelligence tools.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission said that starting Tuesday tech platforms were required to establish a process allowing victims to request the removal of such content and must take it down within 48 hours of receiving a valid request -- or face penalties.

“We stand ready to monitor compliance, investigate violations, and enforce the Take It Down Act,” FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson said after sending letters to over a dozen tech firms -- including Meta, TikTok, X, and Snapchat -- ahead of the enforcement.

“Protecting the vulnerable -- especially children -- from this harmful abuse is a top priority for this agency and this administration.”

In a post on Monday, X’s Safety account said there is “no place in our society for predators to share intimate photos and videos of others without their consent.”

“X has zero tolerance for non-consensual intimate images, unwanted sexual content, or any kind of exploitative behavior.”

‘Shoot first, ask questions never’

The assurance comes after Elon Musk’s AI tool Grok faced international backlash earlier this year for virtually undressing women and minors without their consent. Researchers said Grok generated an estimated three million sexualized images in a matter of days.

Still, some experts warn the Take It Down Act is far from a perfect solution.

Riana Pfefferkorn, a policy fellow at the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, said that the law creates a “shoot first, ask questions never” dynamic.

The incentive structure is in the “direction of just remove it, remove it, remove it,” she was quoted as saying in Indicator, a newsletter focused on investigating digital deception.

Pfefferkorn also expressed concern that the law could be weaponized against trans people, sex workers whose content is consensual, and political speech the administration disagrees with.

The law’s takedown provision has also alarmed other free speech advocates, who warn it could encourage tech firms to zealously moderate non-offending content to reduce risk.

An online boom in non-consensual deepfakes is currently outpacing efforts to regulate the technology around the world due to a proliferation of AI tools, including “nudification” apps, experts say.

While high-profile politicians and celebrities, including singer Taylor Swift, have been victims of deepfake porn, researchers say women not in the public eye are equally vulnerable.

A wave of AI porn scandals have been reported at schools across U.S. states -- from California to New Jersey -- with hundreds of teenagers targeted by their own classmates.

Such non-consensual imagery can lead to harassment, bullying or blackmail, sometimes causing devastating mental health consequences, experts warn.

By Anuj Chopra.