Written by Alex Kabat, Advocacy Center Campus Educator
On April 28, 2025, the House of Representatives passed the first significant law targeting non-consensual intimate images (NCII). The Take It Down Act introduces stricter penalties for the distribution of content like “deepfake” pornography, AI-generated images that depict real people, and authentic media that is non-consensual.
Media created by artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming more realistic, and the technology allows for the creation of virtually any image with the click of a button. These advances are being utilized in harmful and vicious ways.
In October of 2023, 14-year-old Elliston Berry of Texas and 15-year-old Francesca Mani of New Jersey each learned that their classmates had used AI software to manufacture nude images of them and other female peers. Berry and Mani each faced perplexing silence throughout their attempts to remove the photos from social media and requests to protect themselves from their classmates.
“They just didn’t know what to do: they were like, this is all new territory,” says Berry’s mother, Anna Berry.
The brave young women began to share their story with news outlets and congressional offices until they gained crucial bipartisan support.
“The Take It Down Act passing Congress is a hard-fought victory for every survivor of the online sexual abuse, but also for every person who uses the internet,” said Stefan Turkheimer, Vice President of Public Policy at RAINN. “When Take It Down is signed into law, survivors and their loved ones—and indeed every person who demands a safer internet—will have a path to end the pain caused by tech-enabled sexual abuse.”
The act criminalizes the publication of intimate images without consent. It also requires online platforms (including social media companies) to remove such material “within 48 hours of notice from the victim.”
Many states have already banned the circulation of AI-generated content that is sexually explicit, but the Take It Down Act is a unique example of federal regulation impacting internet companies.
The bill awaits final signature by the President and will go into effect immediately. Survivors and advocates have long awaited the passage of this legislation, and they acknowledge the monumental impact it will have.
The Take It Down Act and similar efforts are not without their potential downsides: The Cyber Civil Rights Initiative, a nonprofit that supports those affected by online crimes and abuse, said that parts of the bill are “vague… overbroad, and lacking adequate safeguards against misuse.”
However, the law provides guidance and a more universal mechanism of security for those who have experienced invasive internet crimes. With such rapidly evolving technology, continuous education is crucial.
“For those of us who’ve been hurt, it’s a chance to take back our dignity,” Francesca Mani says.
If you are struggling with topics mentioned in this article, know that you have support. The Advocacy Center’s 24/7 Hotline can be reached at (607) 277-5000. You can also visit www.StopNCII.org, operated by the Revenge Porn Helpline, for more information about ways to stop the sharing of NCII.
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