WASHINGTON, DC (June 18, 2024) – The National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) supports the Take it Down Act, introduced today by Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), which criminalizes the act of uploading image-based sexual abuse and mandates its removal within 48 hours.
Dawn Hawkins, CEO, National Center on Sexual Exploitation, spoke during a press conference today, and her statement is as follows:
“I’m honored to stand with Senators Cruz and Klobuchar to champion the ‘Take It Down Act.’ Today, we gather to demand justice for the countless victims of image-based sexual abuse (or IBSA), and for any of us who are able to become the next targets. The ‘Take It Down Act’ is not just a legislative proposal; it’s a lifeline. IBSA is a brutal assault on dignity and privacy. Imagine waking up to find sexually explicit images of yourself, shared without consent, for the world to see. This is the devastating reality for one in five Americans.
“Tech giants must take responsibility. AI tools available in the Google and Apple app stores and on platforms like Microsoft’s GitHub can generate thousands of realistic forged pornographic images in minutes. Platforms like Pornhub, Reddit, and X let anyone upload sexually explicit content of anyone at anytime, and then they not only drive people to the content through ads – they also enable countless downloads and reshares. This is the unacceptable reality we face today, and it will remain so unless Congress acts now.
“It’s outrageous that tech companies can instantly remove copyrighted material—upload a clip from Disney or a pop song, and it’s gone in a heartbeat, risking an immediate ban from the platform.
“Yet, if you upload a rape, hide a camera in a locker room, or want to destroy someone’s life by sharing private images, you can do so without scrutiny. The platforms won’t blink and the perpetrators can sleep easily, knowing they face no real consequences. Current legislative gaps allow both the platforms and the initial uploaders of this abuse to completely evade accountability.
“This is a gut-wrenching double standard. As it stands today, the protection of corporate profit trumps the basic human dignity and safety of abuse survivors. We shouldn’t have to live in fear of our privacy being violated at any moment. We all could be victims.
“The fight against IBSA is a fight for the dignity, privacy, and safety of all individuals. We must act swiftly and decisively to combat this insidious form of abuse. I urge everyone to support the Take It Down Act. This Act is a critical step toward finally giving victims a path to justice.
“No more excuses, no more delays. It’s time to put people over profits. Together, we can ensure that every person has the right to live and love free from the threat of image-based sexual abuse.”
For more information about Image-Based Sexual Abuse, click HERE.
About National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE)
Founded in 1962, the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) is the leading national non-partisan organization exposing the links between all forms of sexual exploitation such as child sexual abuse, prostitution, sex trafficking and the public health harms of pornography. https://endsexualexploitation.org/
