What’s the Take It Down Act? Melania Trump’s initiative sees first conviction

• The Take it Down Act was a bill that Melania Trump championed during Donald Trump’s first 100 days in office. Enacted in 2025 and seeing bipartisan support, the act prohibits the nonconsensual online publication of intimate visual depictions and AI-generated forgeries.
• The legislation specifically bans such publications involving adult subjects if intended to cause harm or published without consent, and minor subjects if intended to abuse, harass, or gratify sexual desire. Violators of the bill face mandatory restitution and criminal penalties, which can include prison time, fines, or both.
• On Tuesday, a Columbus, Ohio, man pleaded guilty to cybercrimes involving real and AI-generated sexually explicit images. James Strahler II, 37, had installed more than 24 AI platforms and more than 100 AI web-based models on his phone, according to the DOJ.
• Strahler used AI to create pornographic videos depicting at least one adult victim engaged in sex acts with her father, the DOJ said.
• “Today marks the first conviction under the Take It Down Act - protecting victims from non-consensual AI-generated sexually explicit images, cyberstalking, and threats of violence.,” Melania Trump said on X.