FTC targets nudify tools over TAKE IT DOWN Act compliance
The action expands FTC enforcement after the TAKE IT DOWN Act compliance deadline took effect on 19 May.
The US Federal Trade Commission has sent warning letters to 12 websites offering so-called ‘nudify’ tools, expanding its enforcement of the TAKE IT DOWN Act.
The law requires covered platforms to provide a process for people to request the removal of intimate photos or videos shared online without consent, and to remove that content within 48 hours of a valid request.
The letters were sent to companies offering tools that can take a clothed image of a person and generate non-consensual sexualised images by removing clothing. According to the FTC, the companies appear to be violating the law by failing to provide a process for victims to request the removal of non-consensual intimate images from their platforms.
FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson said platforms ‘no longer have any excuses’ and must comply with their obligations under the TAKE IT DOWN Act or face consequences.
The letters urge the companies to comply with the law immediately. Platforms that fail to do so could face FTC legal action and civil penalties of up to $53,088 per violation.
The action follows the FTC’s start of TAKE IT DOWN Act enforcement on 19 May. Ahead of the deadline, Ferguson sent letters to major platforms, including Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Reddit, Snapchat, TikTok and X, reminding them of their compliance obligations.
The FTC has also issued business guidance on compliance with the law, which was signed in May 2025 and gave companies one year to meet its requirements.
Why does it matter?
The warning letters show how the FTC is applying the TAKE IT DOWN Act directly to AI-powered nudify tools, not only mainstream social media platforms. The action reflects growing concern that generative AI can make image-based sexual abuse easier to create and distribute at scale, while placing stronger legal pressure on platforms to give victims a fast removal process.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!