Victims of non-consensual, intimate online images, including deepfake AI-generated content, will soon have new legal options to have the content removed after US President Donald Trump signed what has become known as the Take It Down Act.
First lady Melania Trump, who has been a major proponent of the legislation, gave a speech just before Mr Trump signed the bill into law.
“Over the past few months I have met with brave survivors, deeply loving families and advocates who know first hand the emotional and psychological toll of NCII and deepfake abuse,” she said at the bill-signing ceremony outside the White House. “Many thanks to both parties for passing this legislation.”
According to the US Senate committee on commerce, science and transport, the Take It Down Act criminalises the publication of non-consensual intimate imagery, often referred to as “revenge porn”.
The law requires that social media sites or other content-hosting websites, along with service providers, “remove such content within 48 hours of notice from victims".
Just before signing the bill into law, Mr Trump said it increases penalties and introduces civil liabilities for online platforms that do not act to take such content down.
The act also includes provisions related to content generated with artificial intelligence tools.
According to The 19th, a non-profit newsroom focused on gender, politics and policy, internet platforms will have approximately one year to establish a process by which users can report the non-consensual content.
Though Take It Down passed almost unanimously in the US House of Representatives and the Senate, the act is not without critics.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), a non-profit group promoting civil liberties in the tech world, has voiced frequent concerns.
“Good intentions don’t make good laws,” the EFF said in a news release when the act was first introduced in January.
It said the legislation's 48-hour deadline would put too much burden on smaller websites and service providers, making it more likely that they would comply quickly, rather than accurately, to avoid litigation.
“Instead, services will rely on automated filters – infamously blunt tools that frequently flag legal content, from fair-use commentary to news reporting,” the EFF said.
“Take It Down is the wrong approach to helping people whose intimate images are shared without their consent. We can help victims of online harassment without embracing a new regime of online censorship.”
The commerce committee, however, insists that the act is narrowly tailored to uphold the First Amendment and in turn, prevent an effect on “lawful speech".
According to the committee, the Take It Down Act also has the support of more than 120 organisations and companies including Meta, Snap, Google, Microsoft, TikTok and X.
Linda Yaccarino, chief executive of X, attended the bill-signing ceremony.
In February, as Take It Down legislation was gaining momentum, the EFF continued to oppose the bill, pointing out that victims of non-consensual intimate imagery already had legal options.
“In addition to 48 states that have specific laws criminalising the distribution of non-consensual pornography, there are defamation, harassment and extortion statutes that can all be wielded against people abusing NCII,” it said.
“Congress should focus on enforcing and improving these existing protections.”
The Take It Down Act is not the first law aimed at protecting reputations from being unfairly compromised.
In 2014, the European Union enacted what has become known as a “right to be forgotten” policy, which makes it easier for people to request deletion of certain private data collected by digital entities.
Much like the Take It Down Act, however, the “right to be forgotten” is not without critics, and has been subject to legal challenges in parts of the world.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Profile Idealz
Company: Idealz
Founded: January 2018
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Size: (employees): 22
Investors: Co-founders and Venture Partners (9 per cent)
The biog
Favourite hobby: I love to sing but I don’t get to sing as much nowadays sadly.
Favourite book: Anything by Sidney Sheldon.
Favourite movie: The Exorcist 2. It is a big thing in our family to sit around together and watch horror movies, I love watching them.
Favourite holiday destination: The favourite place I have been to is Florence, it is a beautiful city. My dream though has always been to visit Cyprus, I really want to go there.
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
FIGHT%20CARD
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MATCH INFO
Liverpool 3
Sadio Man 28'
Andrew Robertson 34'
Diogo Jota 88'
Arsenal 1
Lacazette 25'
Man of the match
Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
MATCH INFO
Bangla Tigers 108-5 (10 ovs)
Ingram 37, Rossouw 26, Pretorius 2-10
Deccan Gladiators 109-4 (9.5 ovs)
Watson 41, Devcich 27, Wiese 2-15
Gladiators win by six wickets
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
What is tokenisation?
Tokenisation refers to the issuance of a blockchain token, which represents a virtually tradable real, tangible asset. A tokenised asset is easily transferable, offers good liquidity, returns and is easily traded on the secondary markets.
About Housecall
Date started: July 2020
Founders: Omar and Humaid Alzaabi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech
# of staff: 10
Funding to date: Self-funded
Tips from the expert
Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.
- Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
- It’s important to use clear and appealing photos, with catchy titles and detailed descriptions to capture the attention of prospective buyers.
- Try to advertise a realistic price to attract buyers looking for good deals, especially in the current environment where consumers are significantly more price-sensitive.
- Be creative and look around your home for valuable items that you no longer need but might be useful to others.
