Meta, TikTok, X, and other platforms have 48 hours to remove deepfakes and revenge porn
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has sent warning letters to numerous companies, telling them they have to comply with the TAKE IT DOWN Act. If they don’t, generous fees will apply.
Meta, X, TikTok logos and a burning bra. Image by Cybernews.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has sent warning letters to numerous companies, telling them they have to comply with the TAKE IT DOWN Act. If they don’t, generous fees will apply.
- The FTC warned 15 major tech companies including Meta, TikTok, X, Amazon, and Google that they must comply with federal deepfake and revenge porn removal rules or face fines up to $53,088 per violation.
- The TAKE IT DOWN Act requires platforms to remove non-consensual intimate images and AI-generated deepfakes within 48 hours of a removal request.
- The law, co-sponsored by Senators Ted Cruz and Amy Klobuchar and advocated by First Lady Melania Trump, went into enforcement on May 19, 2026 after a one-year compliance period.
Key Takeaways by nexos.ai, reviewed by Cybernews staff.
The Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites and Networks Act, TAKE IT DOWN Act, or TIDA for short, is a federal law that aims to combat the distribution of non-consensual intimate pictures and videos, including AI-generated deepfakes.
The law requires tech companies to offer tools that allow people to submit removal requests for intimate photos or videos created and shared online without their consent. Once a removal request has been submitted, platforms have 48 hours to delete the intimate material.
TIDA was adopted in 2025 amidst growing concerns over the rise of AI-generated sexual deepfakes and revenge porn online. The bill was co-sponsored by Senators Ted Cruz and Amy Klobuchar. First Lady Melania Trump also publicly advocated for the measure as part of her anti-cyberbullying efforts.
Policymakers gave businesses one year to comply with the law’s requirements. As of Tuesday, May 19th, 2026, the FTC began enforcing the law.
The week before, FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson sent warning letters to 15 companies, telling them they are obligated to meet the requirements dictated in the TAKE IT DOWN Act.
“We stand ready to monitor compliance, investigate violations, and enforce the Take It Down Act. Protecting the vulnerable, especially children, from this harmful abuse is a top priority for this agency and this administration,” the Chairman said in a statement.
The warning letter, which was addressed to Amazon, Alphabet, Apple, Automattic, Bumble, Discord, Match Group, Meta, Microsoft, Pinterest, Reddit, SmugMug, Snapchat, TikTok, and X, doesn’t say the companies are actually guilty of non-compliance. Instead, it states that they might fail the bill’s requirements.
“While this letter does not reflect a formal determination that you have violated TIDA, you are advised to immediately come into compliance with the TAKE IT DOWN Act. Staff is monitoring the marketplace for potentially violative acts or practices relating to TIDA and will take additional action as warranted,” the FTC letter says.
Failing to immediately comply with TIDA could result in civil penalties of up to $53,088 per violation, the FTC warns.
Europe is also taking action against sexual exploitation on the internet. In February 2026, the United Kingdom introduced an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill, requiring tech companies to take action against the creation and distribution of non-consensual intimacy images within 48 hours.
In March, the European Parliament greenlit changes to the AI Act banning so-called nudifier apps in the European Union.
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