TAKE IT DOWN Act
The first significant federal law directly regulating AI-generated content — proof that narrowly-scoped, harm-specific AI legislation can pass Congress even amid the broader deregulatory stance, and a template for future deepfake rules.
What it is
Rare bipartisan federal AI statute criminalizing publication of non-consensual intimate images, including AI-generated deepfakes, and requiring platforms to remove reported content within 48 hours (systems required by May 2026).
Platform notice-and-removal systems were required by 19 May 2026.
Who is affected
The first significant federal law directly regulating AI-generated content — proof that narrowly-scoped, harm-specific AI legislation can pass Congress even amid the broader deregulatory stance, and a template for future deepfake rules.
Key obligations
- Criminal penalties for publishing non-consensual intimate imagery, real or AI-generated
- Covered platforms: 48-hour notice-and-removal process (operational since May 2026), FTC-enforced
Recent signals
US executive order targets state AI laws for preemption
EO 14365 creates a DOJ AI Litigation Task Force and funding levers against state AI regulation, setting up the defining federalism fight of US AI governance.
White House releases America's AI Action Plan
90+ actions across innovation, infrastructure and international leadership — including procurement rules for 'ideologically neutral' AI and full-stack export packages.
US enacts TAKE IT DOWN Act on deepfake intimate imagery
Rare bipartisan federal AI statute criminalizes non-consensual intimate deepfakes and mandates 48-hour platform takedowns.
US revokes 2023 AI executive order, pivots to AI dominance agenda
EO 14179 removes the safety-focused federal framework and directs the AI Action Plan, resetting US AI policy.
Related instruments
- USEO 14179Revoked the 2023 Biden AI executive order and reoriented federal AI policy toward removing regulatory barriers and securing US AI …
- USUS AI Action PlanA 90+ point federal strategy across three pillars — accelerating innovation, building AI infrastructure, and leading international…
- USEO 14365 (Preemption)Directs the DOJ to create an AI Litigation Task Force to challenge state AI laws, conditions certain federal funding on states not…
- USNIST AI RMFThe voluntary US reference framework for AI risk management (Govern/Map/Measure/Manage), extended by a Generative AI Profile in 20…
- EUEU AI ActThe world's first comprehensive, risk-based AI law. It bans a set of unacceptable practices (social scoring, manipulative AI, most…