Lecture Notes: "Take It Down Act" Presentation

Introduction

• Speaker: Senator Cruz
• Guests & Acknowledgements:
  • First Lady Melania Trump
  • Victims and advocates: Allison Barry, Franchesca Mani, Brandon Guffy, Breeze Lou.
  • Advocacy groups: RAINN
  • Political sponsors: Senator Klobuchar, Representative Salazar, and others.

Key Legislation: "Take It Down Act"

• Purpose: To combat non-consensual intimate imagery and AI-generated explicit content.
• Status: Passed unanimously in the Senate; pending in the House.
• Target: Protecting victims (often teenagers) from revenge porn and AI-generated images.
• Recourse: Makes it a felony to publish non-consensual intimate images; requires tech companies to act.
• Impact: Empowers victims, providing a legal mechanism for image removal.

Victim Testimonies

• Allison Barry:
  • At 14, fell victim to AI-generated explicit images distributed by classmates.
  • School and social media platforms initially unresponsive.
  • Engagement with Senator Cruz’s office led to image removal.
• Franchesca Mani:
  • Similar experience to Allison with school’s inadequate response.
  • Advocates for clear disciplinary actions within educational institutions.
• Breeze Lou:
  • Experienced unauthorized distribution of explicit content online at 24 years old.
  • Emphasized the importance of legislative action and technological solutions.
• Brandon Guffy:
  • Lost his son to suicide following sextortion.
  • Advocates for legislative protections and public awareness.

Advocacy and Legislation

• Technology and Law:
  • Need for laws to keep up with technology advancement.
  • Proposes a 48-hour takedown requirement for tech platforms.
  • Encourages federal law for victim image removal.
• First Lady Melania Trump's Initiative:
  • Emphasized the importance of child safety online through the "Be Best" initiative.
  • Stressed bipartisan support for the bill.

Congressional Support

• Speaker Mike Johnson & Majority Leader Steve Scalise:
  • Expressed full support and urgency to pass the bill.
  • Highlight the bipartisan nature and moral imperative of the legislation.
• Representative Salazar:
  • Stressed the importance of the bill in preventing cyber abuse and protecting victims.
• Chairman Brett Guthrie & Representative Ro Khanna:
  • Commitment to rapid legislative process in Energy and Commerce Committee.

Conclusion

• Urgency:
  • Strong bipartisan support to pass the "Take It Down Act."
  • Advocacy from victims and political leaders crucial for progress.
  • Anticipation of presidential signature upon passage through Congress.