(ZENIT News / Washington D.C., 12.06.2025).- President Donald Trump signed the «Content Removal Act» into law on Monday, May 19, sponsored by Republicans and Democrats. It prohibits the posting or distribution of sexually explicit material of a person without their consent, making it a federal crime. It also requires social media platforms and other Websites to remove such images within 48 hours of notification.
The law was promoted last year by the Danbury Institute, a Christian group that works on public policy, following the introduction of the proposal by Senator Ted Cruz. The Institute’s President, Scott Colter, applauded the new law as an example of collaboration among Christians, stating that it is «a welcome display of unity in protecting innocent citizens and promoting public decency.»
The law criminalizes non-consensual images, including content generated by artificial intelligence, as well as video images and photographs created without the subject’s consent or distributed without that consent.
The Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission released a statement on its social media platform supporting the law: «Given that pornography is a distortion of God’s gift of sexuality, a violent assault on the image of God, and a corrosive plague on individuals, families, Churches, and society, we will continue to advocate for policies that keep this material out of our public spaces.»
A Thorn study, released on March 3, based on a survey of 2,200 young people between the ages of 13 and 20, explored their awareness of deepfake nudes, their experiences with them, and their participation in creating such content. It found that one in eight young people personally knew someone under the age of 18 who had been a victim of deepfake pornography or knew someone who had used the technology against someone younger than 18.
The new law was inspired by Elliston Berry, a survivor of fake image sexual abuse committed when she was 14, who said: «It would be hard to overestimate the incredible impact this new law will have.» She emphasized how artificial intelligence tools mean that «anyone can be a victim of sexual abuse based on images.”
Melissa Henson, Vice-President of the Parents’ Council on Television and Media, said the new law protects abuse survivors of all ages: «Of all the online threats to children, deepfake pornography may be the most insidious, because anyone, even children and teens who aren’t online or don’t use social media, can fall victim to it.»
Only two members of Congress voted against the Content Removal Act: Republican Congressmen Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who called the legislation «a slippery slope, ripe for abuse, with unintended consequences»; and Eric Burlison of Missouri, who called it redundant, federalizing offenses already covered by State law.
Penalties for violating the new law include prison sentences of up to three years for crimes committed against minors under 18 years of age and up to two years for crimes committed against adults plus fines.
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