Under FTC guidance, platforms must make it easy for users to submit removal requests or risk enforcement action.
US social media platforms and other covered websites now face enforcement and potential civil penalties if they fail to remove revenge porn and AI-generated explicit deepfakes within 48 hours of receiving a valid victim request, following the full implementation of the TAKE IT DOWN Act on Tuesday.
The law, signed in May 2025 by President Donald Trump, prohibits the distribution and the threatening of non-consensual intimate visual depictions, including AI-generated “digital forgeries.”
The measure applies broadly to platforms hosting user-generated content, including Meta, TikTok, Snapchat, X, Reddit, Amazon, Alphabet, and Microsoft.
Victims (or their authorized representatives) can submit a request to have nonconsensual intimate images or deepfakes removed. Platforms must act “as soon as possible” and no later than 48 hours after receiving a valid request, and they must also make reasonable efforts to remove known identical copies. Failure to comply is enforceable by the Federal Trade Commission as an unfair or deceptive practice.
Violations involving adults carry up to 2 years in prison (or 18 months for threats), while offenses involving minors carry up to 3 years (or 30 months for threats).
The act also mandates criminal forfeiture of materials and proceeds from violations and requires courts to order restitution to victims. It explicitly protects self-published content and lawful investigative activities while preserving other existing laws.
The law was driven in part by growing concerns around deepfake abuse involving teenagers and public figures. Companies including Snap and Meta have said they already maintain reporting and removal systems in line with the legal requirements.
