Donald Trump, First Lady sign to make ‘revenge porn’ illegal: Everything you need to know about the bill

US President Donald Trump signed into law the Take It Down Act, a measure that imposes penalties for online sexual exploitation, also known as ‘revenge porn’, on Monday. The first signature was that of the first lady Melania Trump, who helped usher the bill through Congress.

“C'mon, sign it anyway,” the president told his wife. “She deserves to sign it,” he said.

After she added her signature, the president held up the document to show both of their names to the audience at the ceremony in the White House Rose Garden. Melania Trump's signature is merely symbolic since first ladies are not elected and they play no role in the enactment of legislation, news agency AP reported.

What is ‘revenge porn’?

It is a type of digital abuse in which nude or sexually explicit photos or videos of a person are posted on the internet without their consent. Done typically by a former sexual partner, the photos or videos are shared in order to cause a person distress or embarrassment.

Often times, the images or videos are accompanied by personal information about the subject, including their full name, address and links to their social media profiles.

Circulation or sharing of such photos or videos by text, e-mail, or showing someone a physical or electronic image is also considered an offence.

‘Revenge porn’ also includes circulating photos and videos made by using artificial intelligence, considered as “deepfakes”.

What all is considered an offence under the bill?

The bill makes it a federal crime to “knowingly publish” or threaten to publish intimate images without a person’s consent, including AI-created “deepfakes.” Websites and social media companies will be required to remove such material within 48 hours after a victim requests it. The platforms must also take steps to delete duplicate content, the AP report said.

Trump said that under the law, “anyone who intentionally distributes explicit images without the subject’s consent will face up to three years of prison. In addition, this law establishes new civil liabilities for online platforms that refuse to take these images down promptly upon request. We will not tolerate online sexual exploitation.”

Many states have already banned the dissemination of sexually explicit deepfakes or revenge porn, but the Take It Down Act is a rare example of federal regulators imposing on internet companies, the report said.

Critics say…

The bill, introduced by Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., received overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress, passing the House in April by a 409-2 vote and clearing the Senate by unanimous consent, the report said.

But the measure isn't without critics. Free speech advocates and digital rights groups say the bill is too broad and could lead to censorship of legitimate images, including legal pornography and LGBTQ content. Others say it could allow the government to monitor private communications and undermine due process, it added.

(With inputs from agencies)