- jurisdiction
- US Federal
- level
- federal
- domain
- safety
- status
- in-effect
- scope
- Criminalises knowingly publishing nonconsensual intimate images and AI-generated 'digital forgeries' (deepfakes) online, and requires covered platforms to establish a notice-and-removal process to take down such content within 48 hours of a valid request.
- obligations
- Criminal prohibition on publishing nonconsensual intimate visual depictions or digital forgeries using an interactive computer service (effective May 19, 2025). Covered platforms must establish a notice-and-removal process (effective May 19, 2026), investigate requests and remove flagged content within 48 hours, and make reasonable efforts to eliminate duplicates. FTC enforces platform obligations and may impose civil penalties of $53,088 per violation.
- effectiveDate
- 2025-05-19
- enactedDate
- 2025-05-19
- penalties
- Adults: fined and/or imprisoned not more than 2 years for publishing; not more than 18 months for threatening. Minors: not more than 3 years for publishing; not more than 30 months for threatening. Platform violations: FTC civil penalties of $53,088 per violation.
- appliesTo
- Any person who uses an interactive computer service to knowingly publish covered intimate imagery or digital forgeries; 'covered platforms' operating websites, apps, or online services with user-generated content
- notes
- Platform notice-and-removal obligations took effect May 19, 2026 (one year after enactment). FTC began enforcement in May 2026. The criminal prohibition and platform obligations are in two separate sections: Sec. 2 (criminal, 47 U.S.C. 223) and Sec. 3 (notice and removal, 47 U.S.C. 223a note).
