FTC begins TAKE IT DOWN Act enforcement
The FTC sent letters to major platforms reminding them of their obligations under the TAKE IT DOWN Act.
The US Federal Trade Commission has begun enforcing the TAKE IT DOWN Act, requiring covered platforms to remove non-consensual intimate images and known identical copies within 48 hours of a valid request.
The FTC enforces Section 3 of the law, which sets a 19 May 2026 deadline for covered platforms to create a process allowing victims and survivors to request the removal of intimate photos or videos shared online without their consent.
As part of its enforcement role, the agency has launched TakeItDown.ftc.gov, a website where victims and survivors can submit complaints about platforms that fail to act on valid removal requests or have not created a removal process.
FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson said the law gives families recourse against digital exploitation and extortion, particularly where children are affected. He added that ‘in the age of AI, anyone can be targeted’, making protections against abuse especially urgent.
The FTC has also published guidance for consumers whose non-consensual intimate images are posted online and separate guidance for businesses on complying with the law.
Ahead of the enforcement deadline, Ferguson sent letters to major platforms, including Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Automattic, Bumble, Discord, Match Group, Meta, Microsoft, Pinterest, Reddit, SmugMug, Snapchat, TikTok and X, reminding them of their obligations under the TAKE IT DOWN Act.
Why does it matter?
The law gives victims of non-consensual intimate image abuse a faster route to removal and gives the FTC a direct enforcement role when platforms fail to comply. Its importance has grown with the spread of AI-generated sexual abuse material and deepfake tools, which can make intimate image abuse easier to create, copy and distribute at scale.
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