Americans who post trevenge porn online, whether real or AI-generated, will now face criminal penalties.
The new law was backed by First Lady Melania Trump and passed Congress with the support of both parties.
At a signing ceremony at the White House this week, Melania Trump called the law “a national victory that will help parents and families protect children from online exploitation.”
Under the new law, offenders could face fines, up to two years’ imprisonment, or both.
Roundtable
In March, First Lady Melania Trump hosted a roundtable to address concerns over the “emotional and psychological toll” of non-consensual intimate images and deepfakes.
The meeting brought together leading online safety experts, advocates, politicians, and victims of digital exploitation.
The bill received the support of more than 100 organisations, including tech giants Meta, TikTok, and Google.
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New laws
Previously, laws targeting AI-generated explicit images applied only to those depicting children. The new legislation extends those protections to adults.
It also makes it a crime to threaten to publish nude photos of another person.
Under the new law, online platforms are required to establish reporting systems to allow victims to request the removal of intimate images. Platforms must remove the content within 48 hours of being notified.
Comments
Melania Trump thanked politicians from both sides “for coming together to prioritise people over politics.”
She added that her husband U.S. President Donald Trump’s signature on the new law “is not where our work ends on this issue.”
The National Centre for Missing & Exploited Children welcomed the move, saying the new law “closes a dangerous gap.”
