SEN. AMANDA MAYS BLEDSOE CELBRATES CONGRESS’ PASSAGE OF THE ‘TAKE IT DOWN ACT'

STATEMENT RELEASE:
SEN. AMANDA MAYS BLEDSOE CELBRATES CONGRESS’ PASSAGE OF THE ‘TAKE IT DOWN ACT'

Applauds First Lady Melania Trump's advocacy, renews call for further action in Kentucky

FRANKFORT, Ky. (April 29, 2025) — Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe, R-Lexington, issued a statement following Congress’ approval of the Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites and Networks Act (TAKE IT DOWN Act), backed by First Lady Melania Trump. The TAKE IT DOWN Act prohibits the nonconsensual online publication of intimate images—including real and AI-generated depictions—and requires online platforms to remove such content within 48 hours of a victim’s request. Violators face mandatory restitution and criminal penalties, including fines and prison time. The law also bans threats to publish intimate images and requires covered platforms to create a formal process for victims to request removal.

"I’m deeply grateful to Congress for its overwhelming bipartisan support of the TAKE IT DOWN Act, and to First Lady Melania Trump for her unwavering advocacy in this important fight to protect the dignity, privacy, and safety of every American. I’m also especially grateful to Kentucky’s own Congressman Brett Guthrie, chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, for his leadership in helping shepherd the TAKE IT DOWN Act through the House. His work has been critical to advancing protections for victims of digital exploitation at the national level.

“As a mother and a legislator, I know how urgent it is to modernize our laws to meet the threats of a rapidly changing digital world, especially when it comes to protecting our children and families from image-based abuse and exploitation.

“Earlier this year, I introduced Senate Bill 7, the Right of Publicity Act, to further confront these very dangers here in Kentucky. Although the bill passed the Senate with unanimous support, it ultimately didn’t become law. But its message remains clear: no Kentuckian, whether a public figure, an ordinary citizen, or, heaven forbid, a child, should ever have to fight to reclaim ownership of their image. Like the TAKE IT DOWN Act, it recognizes that AI-driven manipulation such as deepfakes and the unauthorized use of a person’s likeness demand swift and serious penalties.

“Congress’ action builds on the momentum we’re seeing at the state level. It sends a powerful, united message: personal privacy and human dignity must be protected in our fast-moving digital world.

“I appreciate the leadership shown nationally by the First Lady, and I’m proud that Kentucky is helping lead this conversation. Together, we’re making it clear that every person deserves control over their own image and the basic respect it represents."

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BACKGROUND

Senate Bill 7, the Right of Publicity Act, aimed to protect Kentuckians from unauthorized commercial use of their likeness—especially AI-generated images—and allow victims to seek damages. It would have given individuals stronger control over their image and the right to seek financial damages if their likeness was exploited for profit. Find Bledsoe’s remarks on Senate Bill 7 here via our YouTube Channel at the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLG7MUYEMpc

The bill followed Bledsoe’s broader work on AI policy, including Senate Bill 4, which set standards for how Kentucky agencies use AI.The bill creates new guidelines for how state agencies can use AI technologies. But Bledsoe has been clear: protecting people from AI misuse can’t stop at the state level. She has consistently insisted Congress must take action on AI as it relates to the private sector, where gaps in federal law and inconsistencies across states can leave Americans vulnerable to exploitation.

Kentucky has already led the way in fighting digital abuse. In 2018, the General Assembly passed a law making the non-consensual sharing of intimate images—known as "revenge porn"—a crime. In March, Sen. Julie Raque Adams’ Senate Bill 73 was passed, which when enacted will make sexual extortion, or "sextortion," a felony offense. The law also requires schools to raise awareness about these dangers among students and families.

Together, these efforts show Kentucky’s deep commitment to protecting dignity, privacy, and safety in a rapidly changing digital world, a commitment that is now being reinforced nationally through the TAKE IT DOWN Act.

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Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe, R-Lexington, represents the 12th Senate District, including Boyle, Mercer, and Woodford Counties and part of Fayette County. She serves as vice chair of both the Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee and the Senate Families and Children Committee. In 2024, she co-chaired the Artificial Intelligence Task Force and served on the 2024-26 Budget Preparation and Submission statutory committee.