US enforces law to crack down on sexual deepfakes
The United States has begun enforcing a law aimed at removing sexual deepfakes and non-consensual intimate imagery from tech platforms. The Take It Down Act, signed in 2025, mandates that platforms must act on removal requests within 48 hours or face penalties. Experts have raised concerns about potential censorship and the law's implications for free speech and vulnerable communities.
- ▪The Take It Down Act was signed into law by President Donald Trump in 2025.
- ▪Tech platforms are required to remove non-consensual sexual imagery within 48 hours of a valid request.
- ▪Experts warn that the law may lead to excessive censorship and could be misused against certain groups.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
US enforces law to crack down on sexual deepfakesSign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inboxA wave of AI porn scandals have been reported at schools across US states with hundreds of teenagers targeted by their own classmates.PHOTO: PEXELSPublished May 20, 2026, 07:55 AMUpdated May 20, 2026, 07:55 AMWASHINGTON – The United States on May 19 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.President Donald Trump signed the Take It Down Act in 2025, criminalising the online distribution of non-consensual sexual imagery that is often created using cheap and widely available artificial intelligence tools.The Federal Trade Commission (FTC)…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Straits Times — World.