Trump Calls On Congress To Pass The “Take It Down” Act—So He Can Censor His Critics

We’ve opposed the Take It Down Act because it could be easily manipulated to take down lawful content that powerful people simply don’t like. Last night, President Trump demonstrated he has a similar view on the bill. He wants to sign the bill into law, then use it to remove content about — him. And he won’t be the only powerful person to do so. 

Here’s what Trump said to a joint session of Congress:    

The Senate just passed the Take It Down Act…. Once it passes the House, I look forward to signing that bill into law. And I’m going to use that bill for myself too if you don’t mind, because nobody gets treated worse than I do online, nobody. 

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The Take It Down Act is an overbroad, poorly drafted bill that would create a powerful system to pressure removal of internet posts, with essentially no safeguards. While the bill is meant to address a serious problem—the distribution of non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII)—the notice-and-takedown system it creates is an open invitation for powerful people to pressure websites into removing content they dislike. There are no penalties for applying very broad, or even farcical definitions of what constitutes NCII, and then demanding that it be removed.  

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TELL CONGRESS: “Take It Down” Has No real Safeguards  

This Bill Will Punish Critics, and The President Wants It Passed Right Now 

Congress should believe Trump when he says he would use the Take It Down Act simply because he’s “treated badly,” despite the fact that this is not the intention of the bill. There is nothing in the law, as written, to stop anyone—especially those with significant resources—from misusing the notice-and-takedown system to remove speech that criticizes them or that they disagree with.  

Trump has frequently targeted platforms carrying content and speakers of entirely legal speech that is critical of him, both as an elected official and as a private citizen.  He has filed frivolous lawsuits against media defendants which threaten to silence critics and draw scarce resources away from important reporting work.   

Now that Trump issued a call to action for the bill in his remarks, there is a possibility that House Republicans will fast track the bill into a spending package as soon as next week. Non-consensual intimate imagery is a serious problem that deserves serious consideration, not a hastily drafted, overbroad bill that sweeps in legal, protected speech. 

How The Take It Down Act Could Silence People 

A few weeks ago, a “deepfake” video of President Trump and Elon Musk was displayed across various monitors in the Housing and Urban Development office. The video was subsequently shared on various platforms. While most people wouldn’t consider this video, which displayed faked footage of Trump kissing Elon Musk’s feet, “nonconsensual intimate imagery,” the takedown provision of the bill applies to an “identifiable individual” engaged in “sexually explicit conduct.” This definition leaves much room for interpretation, and nudity or graphic displays are not necessarily required.  

Moreover, there are no penalties whatsoever to dissuade a requester from simply insisting that content is NCII. Apps and websites only have 48 hours to remove content once they receive a request, which means they won’t be able to verify claims. Especially if the requester is an elected official with the power to start an investigation or prosecution, what website would stand up to such a request?  

The House Must Not Pass This Dangerous Bill 

Congress should focus on enforcing and improving the many existing civil and criminal laws that address NCII, rather than opting for a broad takedown regime that is bound to be abused. Take It Down would likely lead to the use of often-inaccurate automated filters that are infamous for flagging legal content, from fair-use commentary to news reporting. It will threaten encrypted services, which may respond by abandoning encryption entirely in order to be able to monitor content—turning private conversations into surveilled spaces.   

Protecting victims of NCII is a legitimate goal. But good intentions alone are not enough to make good policy. Tell your Member of Congress to oppose censorship and to oppose H.R.633. 

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Tell the house to stop “Take it down”