• The House has passed the "Take It Down Act," making it a federal crime to share intimate images without consent.
• The bill aims to protect victims from non-consensual sharing of both real and AI-generated explicit imagery.
• The legislation requires social media platforms to remove harmful content within 48 hours of notification.
• Melania Trump has been a vocal supporter of the bill, emphasizing its importance for the safety of youth.
• Only two Republicans voted against the act, highlighting some tension within the party regarding regulation.

The House of Representatives has passed a significant bipartisan bill known as the "Take It Down Act," aimed at criminalizing the sharing of non-consensual explicit imagery, commonly referred to as 'revenge porn.' This legislation received a strong affirmative vote of 409-2, which sends it to the President's desk for final approval. The bill, which was introduced by Senator Ted Cruz, mandates that social media companies and websites remove such content within 48 hours upon request from victims, addressing both real and AI-generated images, according to CBS News.

The bill has garnered widespread support, notably from First Lady Melania Trump, who stated, "Today's bipartisan passage of the Take It Down Act is a powerful statement that we stand united in protecting the dignity, privacy, and safety of our children." Trump highlighted her concern for young users facing challenges from malicious online content. The act establishes strict penalties for offenders, which underscores a crucial step toward ensuring the online safety of both adults and minors, according to NPR and India Times.

The legislation has been positioned as a significant response to the growing threats of digital exploitation, particularly via platforms frequented by young users. It aims to create a more consistent federal approach, as many states currently have varying laws against revenge porn. This unified effort is essential, as only South Carolina lacks any law criminalizing such acts, highlighting a gap that the new federal regulation hopes to fill, according to India Times and Newsweek.

Despite the overwhelming support, there were two dissenting votes from Republican representatives Thomas Massie and Eric Burlison, both expressing concerns about potential unintended consequences of the bill. Massie noted on social media that this legislation represents "a slippery slope, ripe for abuse," suggesting the need for careful consideration in balancing regulation and innovation. Nonetheless, advocates like Senate co-sponsor Amy Klobuchar and Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar emphasized the significant impact this act could have on protecting vulnerable individuals, according to CBS News, NPR, and Newsweek.