FTC chairman urges companies to adhere with Take It Down Act
FILE-People work on laptop computers at a table. (Sarah Blesener/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson sent letters to over a dozen technology organizations informing them to comply with the Take It Down Act by May 19.
According to an FTC release, the letters were sent to major platforms like Amazon, Alphabet, Apple, Automattic, Bumble, Discord, Match Group, Meta, Microsoft, Pinterest, Reddit, SmugMug, Snapchat, TikTok and X.
RELATED: What is the Take It Down Act?
Officials noted that letters state the definitions and requirements of the law, along with the penalties for non-compliance.
Furthermore, the letter indicates that covered platforms must provide clear notice about the removal process. The companies are also required to take down the nonconsensual images, and all identical copies, within 48 hours of receiving a request.
Under the Take It Down Act, "covered platforms" include websites, apps, and online services, like social media, messaging, image or video sharing and gaming platforms.
What is the Take It Down Act?
The backstory:
The Take It Down Act was signed into law by President Donald Trump in 2025. The act requires covered platforms to establish a process allowing victims, including children, to request removal of intimate pictures or videos shared without their consent.
Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas introduced the legislation that makes it unlawful to knowingly publish "non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII), including "digital forgeries" created with AI software (or deepfake pornography), and require social media and similar websites to have in place procedures to remove such content upon notification from a victim," according to a 2024 release from Cruz’s office.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by a Federal Trade Commission release and previous FOX Local reporting. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.