Overview
- The Federal Trade Commission started active enforcement of the law on May 19, 2026, requiring covered platforms to remove validly reported nonconsensual intimate images within 48 hours or face civil penalties.
- The FTC launched TakeItDown.ftc.gov so victims can file complaints against platforms that fail to provide a clear notice-and-removal process or that do not act on valid takedown requests.
- Enforcement letters were sent to major platforms including Amazon, Alphabet, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, TikTok, X and others, and warning letters targeted 12 operators of so-called “nudify” AI services accused of violating the law.
- The statute covers both real and AI-generated intimate depictions, sets fines of up to $53,088 per violation, and offers a safe harbor for good-faith removals but not for refusals, which may push platforms toward conservative takedowns.
- Experts and advocates warn the law shifts the monitoring burden onto victims, may be hard to enforce on overseas or decentralized sites, and could lead to over-removal or abuse even as reports of AI sexual imagery surge.