The "Take it Down Act" is heading to the President — It's time to Protect Students

Originally posted April 29, 2025, on LinkedIn by Susan Gentz, Chief Strategy Officer, K20Connect

On April 28, 2025, the "Take it Down Act" passed the U.S House of Representatives. According to a press release from the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, "the U.S. House of Representatives passed the bipartisan, bicameral TAKE IT DOWN Act, authored by Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and co-led by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), by a vote of 409-2. Having passed the Senate in February, the TAKE IT DOWN Act now heads to the President to be signed into law."

The bill will protect and empower victims of real and deepfake non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII) while respecting speech by:

• Criminalizing the publication of NCII in interstate commerce. The bill makes it unlawful for a person to knowingly publish NCII on social media and other online platforms. NCII is defined to include realistic, computer-generated pornographic images and videos that depict identifiable, real people. The bill also clarifies that a victim consenting to the creation of an authentic image does not mean that the victim has consented to its publication.

• Protecting good faith efforts to assist victims. The bill permits the good faith disclosure of NCII, such as to law enforcement. 

• Requiring websites to take down NCII upon notice from the victim. Social media and other websites would be required to have in place procedures to remove NCII, pursuant to a valid request from a victim, within 48 hours. Websites must also make reasonable efforts to remove copies of the images. The Federal Trade Commission is charged with enforcement of this section. 

• Protecting lawful speech. The bill is narrowly tailored to criminalize knowingly publishing NCII without chilling lawful speech. The bill conforms to current First Amendment jurisprudence by requiring that computer-generated NCII meet a “reasonable person” test for appearing indistinguishable from an authentic image.

This is a great start, but what happens on school grounds or school networks?

I recently saw an Iowa representative who held meetings with her constituents who wrote that one of the biggest concerns from parents in their school districts was Deepfake AI Generated photos of their children.

There is more that needs to be done at the local level to protect students.

New AI Cybersecurity Workshops for Educator Leaders

I am proud to partner with Samuel Bourgeois, Jason Thatcher, and Frederick Lane to offer incredible workshops for school boards and district leaders. We can no longer wait for this issue to come to our door. It is here and we must be prepared.

Here is an overview of the workshop — please reach out if we can help your district protect students on this critical issue or provide additional details regarding the workshop.

Workshop Objective

The objective of this workshop is to provide comprehensive training and

insights on critical areas that affect the K-12 education sector, focusing on deepfake training, prevention, and testing, cybersecurity best practices, and the risks associated with artificial intelligence (AI) in schools.

Workshop Topics

1. Deepfake Training and Testing

This topic will delve into the advanced training methodologies that enable board members, school leaders, and administrative staff to effectively reduce the risk of deepfake social engineering attacks and general personal issues related to deepfakes.

2. Cyber Security

Given the increasing reliance on digital tools, this topic will address the

importance and implementation of robust cybersecurity measures within educational institutions and basic cyber hygiene for school board members.

3. Risks of AI in Education

While AI presents many opportunities, it also poses risks that must be

carefully managed. This topic will cover the potential risks and ethical considerations of using AI in education.

4. Cybertraps for Educators

This section explores the various ways that technology can create

professional risks for educators, focusing on both legal and ethical challenges. With the increasing use of digital tools, educators and school administrators must understand how their use of technology can result in serious consequences.

This workshop aims to empower school board members with the knowledge and tools necessary to enhance the educational experience through effective training, prevention, and testing around cybersecurity in general. We hope to empower and inspire your organization to innovate and achieve more than ever before...safely. The insights

gained from this workshop will be invaluable in shaping a safe, innovative, and effective educational environment. 

This team is comprised of deep experts in AI cybersecurity. Now is the time to ensure each district knows how to protect their students, especially now with criminalized consequences.