New Jersey was the first state to acknowledge the dangers of “revenge porn,” banning the trend in 2004. Alaska followed its lead in 2006, and then Texas years later in 2015. More states jumped on board, often dealing with the confusing legality of protecting First Amendment rights, not having previous court cases to go off of, and addressing the ever-changing landscape of social media and deepfake technology.
Now, a Republican-led House of Representatives and Senate with the full support of first lady Melania Trump have passed a federal bill to protect those who might be affected by revenge porn. This is a major issue that helps women and has full bipartisan support, even from the most radical leftists who oppose everything President Donald Trump proposes.
The Take It Down Act, sponsored by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), makes it illegal to knowingly publish, or even threaten to publish, intimate images without the involved parties’ consent. It includes AI-created images and “deepfakes.”
“In 2016, 10 million people, or 2% of Americans had reported being victims of nonconsensual porn,” the National Association of Attorneys General writes. “Individuals ages 18-29 generally, and women aged 18-29 specifically, as well as LGTBQ+ Americans were victimized at even higher rates. In 2017, the number of young Americans ages 18-29 who had become victims of nonconsensual porn jumped to 12%, an increase of over 100%. In 2019, a larger study suggests that the problem has only grown, showing a 400% increase in the number of victims from 2016.”
These are astounding and abysmal statistics that represent real human beings who were betrayed, exploited, and embarrassed and for too long had no legal ramifications to provide them justice and protection.
The Take It Down Act is addressing the dangers of revenge porn and also deals with the deepfakes occurring more frequently, not just with celebrities but average women, and sadly even girls. Reports recently revealed that pedophiles are using artificial intelligence to create child pornography.
The act made sure to provide carve-outs for First Amendment rights while doing everything feasible to protect innocents. According to the Senate website, “The bill conforms to current First Amendment jurisprudence by requiring that computer-generated [non-consensual intimate imagery] meet a ‘reasonable person’ test for appearing indistinguishable from an authentic image.”
Movements such as this to protect the images of women, girls, and other minority groups through legislation are important. We need to take steps throughout all levels of society to ensure we are treating women with respect and dignity while ensuring that those who abuse their power, technology, or angst to “get back” at someone are held to the highest standards of justice.
We need gentlemen who respect women for their brains and not just their bodies. We need more Ben Shapiros, Rep. Dan Crenshaws (R-TX), and John Lovells who encompass a mixture of brains and brawn with a never-ending dedication to their wives and their children. And we need men who will teach their sons and our society as a whole that a woman’s body is not to be mistreated either in person or online.
We also need to hold corporations and businesses accountable for not taking seriously the direct concerns of parents. Cruz said he was motivated to work on this legislation when he met a mom and her 14-year-old daughter who were ignored by Snapchat for over a year when a deepfake of the minor was spreading around. The media company did not care. As a society, we need to be investing in businesses and industries that care.
This is an issue that we have seen before: the complete lack of remorse from social media companies who knowingly target young women for their algorithm success rates but care nothing about the imagery and messaging being shown to them or how those affect their day-to-day lives and long-term mental health.
CONGRESS MUST DEEP-SIX DEEPFAKE PORN
After the passage of this legislation, many social media companies said they supported the initiative, including the requirement to remove revenge porn imagery within 48 hours of being notified by a victim. Major social media platforms must also attempt to delete duplicate content.
Overall, this act is a step in the right direction and a reminder that often the needs of women and girls in this country are ignored and delayed for far too long. It’s time we prioritize protecting women in all ways.
Elisha Krauss is a conservative commentator and speaker who resides in Los Angeles, California, with her husband and their four children. She is an advocate for women’s rights, school choice, and smaller government.