New Jersey teen victimized by AI porn attends "Take it Down Act" signing at White House
President Trump has signed the "Take it Down Act", which bans people from publishing nonconsensual sexual images, like artificial intelligence deepfakes and revenge porn.
The White House invited Francesca Mani, a New Jersey high student who was victimized by deepfake porn, to Monday's bill signing ceremony after she spent years advocating for the bill.
New Jersey teen victimized by deepfake porn spent years advocating for "Take it Down Act"
In 2023, Mani's family told CBS News New York that boys at Westfield High School used an AI app to create nude images using the faces of real girls, including Francesca. Her family has been fighting for reforms ever since.
Mr. Trump's signature means people who distribute sexual images of someone without their consent can now face up to three years in prison or fines from the federal government. It includes AI-generated deepfakes, which are forged images created with a real person's face.
"I mean, it feels absolutely exhilarating. I mean, I have been supporting this law and advocating for it for almost two years now, and I am just so happy. I just want to say thank you to the first lady and President Trump, and all the politicians who have acted in a decisive way, in a bipartisan way," Mani said in an interview from the White House Rose Garden.
The president acknowledge Mani's struggle during the signing ceremony.
"Also with us are several other brave Americans whose lives were rocked by online harassment, including Francesca Mani," the president said.
Mani joined first lady Melania Trump at a press conference in March where they both called for stronger protections from AI-generated deepfake pornography.
"We affirm that the wellbeing of our children is central to our future of our families in America," the first lady said Monday.
Revenge porn bill outlines criminal penalties
Under the "Take it Down Act," criminal penalties for sharing nonconsensual sexually explicit images are immediately in effect. A part of the law that requires social media companies to remove the images within 48 hours of a victim's request goes into effect next year.
Critics said the bill could be weaponized to remove legitimate images protected by free speech. Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie said it was ripe for abuse with unintended consequences, but it passed the House of Representatives 409-2.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed a law laying out criminal penalties for producing and sharing non-consensual deepfake images in April.
