Lummis cosponsors legislation to protect victims of deepfake revenge porn

CHEYENNE (WNE) — U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., joined Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in introducing the Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites and Networks (TAKE IT DOWN) Act to protect and empower victims of non-consensual intimate image abuse, also known as “revenge pornography.”

The bill would criminalize the publication of non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII), including AI-generated NCII (or “deepfake pornography”), and require social media and similar websites to have procedures in place to remove such content upon notification from a victim.

By requiring a notice and takedown process from websites that contain user-generated content, including social media sites, the TAKE IT DOWN Act would ensure that, if the content is published online, victims are protected from being retraumatized again and again.

“Artificial intelligence is the future, and the way this technology can be used to improve lives around the globe is truly infinite,” Lummis said. “With any new industry comes the need to ensure it is not being used by bad actors, and AI is no different. I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing legislation to protect people against malicious and dangerous deepfakes that also allows innovation to continue in the United States.”

This story was published on June 26, 2024.