While victims or their representatives must submit the takedown request, the law requires only a physical or electronic signature—no ID verification or proof is needed, which critics argue opens the door for fraudulent or politically motivated takedown attempts.
Celebration and Criticism
President Trump publicly celebrated the bill’s passage in a March 4 address, saying:
“And I’m going to use that bill for myself, too, if you don’t mind. There’s nobody who gets treated worse than I do online.”
While many hailed the act as a necessary step to combat online harassment, others noted troubling patterns. Senator Marsha Blackburn, who co-sponsored the bill, has also supported the Kids Online Safety Act and voiced opposition to LGBTQ+ content. Critics worry that platforms will err on the side of over-removal, suppressing legitimate content, particularly LGBTQ+ and sex-positive media.
“I think there are going to be more requests to take down images depicting queer and trans people in relationships,” McKinney warned. “And even more than that, I think it’s gonna be consensual porn.”
