Trump bans nonconsensual, sexual images, first lady co-signs document
He then turned to the first lady, seated next to him at the outdoor desk set up to sign the legislation, asking her if she wanted to sign her name on the document. She promptly autographed the leather-bound piece of paper.
Addressing the audience made up of victims of revenge porn, members of Congress and Cabinet secretaries, the first lady called the new law a "national victory."
"Artificial intelligence and social media are the digital candy for the next generation, sweet, addictive, and engineered to have an impact on the connectivity development of our children," she said. "But unlike sugar, these new technologies can be weaponized to shape beliefs and, sadly, affect emotions and even be deadly."
In particular, she thanked Elliston Berry for speaking up and advocating on behalf of survivors after being targeted with revenge porn. Berry was 14 when a classmate used an AI app to attach a nude body to an Instagram photo of her face, before circulating it on social media.
The new law will require technology platforms to remove reported "nonconsensual, sexually exploitative images" within 48 hours of receiving a valid request. Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota, introduced the legislation in August.
Berry has said that when she reported the incident to her school in north Texas, the authorities responded saying it was out of their control. It was only after Cruz's Senate office heard her story and reached out to Snapchat that her photos were removed.
"It's a very abusive situation," said the president. "And today we're making it totally illegal."
Remarking on the wide support in Congress for the bill, with 99 senators and 408 members of the House of Representatives who voted in favor of the bill, the president joked, "I wish we could get that vote from other things."
During her husband's first term, Melania Trump advocated against cyberbullying with her "Be Best" campaign.
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy is a White House Correspondent for USA TODAY. You can follow her on X @SwapnaVenugopal
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
40 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Sanders warns of authoritarianism after Trump deploys national guard to LA
Bernie Sanders warned of the US's slide into authoritarianism following Donald Trump's decision to deploy the national guard to Los Angeles over the city's protests against federal immigration raids. Speaking to CNN on Sunday, the leftwing Vermont senator said: 'We have a president who is moving this country rapidly into authoritarianism … My understanding is that the governor of California, the mayor of the city of Los Angeles did not request the national guard but he thinks he has a right to do anything he wants.' Sanders, and many others, have long warned for the potential risk to American democracy that Trump represents in his second term. Since returning to the White House Trump has roiled American politics and civic life with numerous actions including attacking universities, slashing government spending and firing tens of thousands of employees and rolling back the rights of LGBTQ+ people. Sanders added: 'He is suing the media who criticizes him. He is going after law firms who have clients who were against him. He's going after universities that teach courses that he doesn't like. He's threatening to impeach judges who rule against him. And he's usurping the powers of the United States congress. This guy wants all of the power. He does not believe in the constitution. He does not believe in the rule of law.' Pointing to the Republican-led House and Senate, Sanders went on to say that the future of the US 'rests with a small number of Republicans in the House and Senate who know better, who do know what the constitution is about'. 'It's high time they stood for our constitution and the rule of law,' Sanders said. His latest interview comes after widespread backlash from California leaders towards Trump's decision to deploy 2,000 California national guards to respond to the immigration protests. Trump's decision came at the objection of California governor Gavin Newsom, who called it 'purposefully inflammatory.' 'The federal government is taking over the California National Guard and deploying 2,000 soldiers in Los Angeles – not because there is a shortage of law enforcement, but because they want a spectacle,' Newsom said, adding: 'Don't give them one.' Over the weekend, Los Angeles has been rocked by widespread protests in response to the Trump administration's draconian immigration raids against migrant communities. Trump's deployment of the national guard marks the first time a US president wielded such power since the 1992 riots in Los Angeles over the brutal beating of Rodney King, a Black motorist, by four white police officers who were acquitted.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Insiders reveal the twisted reality of 'pick me' Republican rebels using Trump for clout
Republican lawmakers have increasingly sought to show off their connections to the White House by going public about their private talks with the president. A half dozen Republican aides spoke with the Daily Mail about a new trend developing where lawmakers dish on their chats with Trump to boost their own brand. Speaker Mike Johnson 's minuscule 220 - 212 majority in the House has, so far, come together to back leadership on major votes - thereby advancing Trump's plans. But that has not come with some last minute dramas as a cast of Republican House members declare their opposition to the group project - a type of goal-line stand to force the speaker to make concessions. This has increasingly come in the form of a phone call with the president for some ambitious members who want to vent their concerns to the boss. But that clout comes with a political cost, staffers tell the Daily Mail. 'Feels like it's the do-nothing, unimportant members of the House who do this the most,' one senior GOP congressional aide told the Daily Mail of the lawmakers scrambling for Trump's attention. 'It's a waste of the president's time to be refereeing Congress,' said another senior Republican staffer. 'We only have the majority because the voters want Congress to enact the Trump agenda.' 'Voters don't care about your so-called principled stand, they want you to vote with Trump,' they added. But the White House says Trump welcomes the meetings since he is a negotiator and businessman at heart. 'The passage of one big, beautiful bill in the House is truly a testament to the President's ability to negotiate and get things across the finish line,' White House spokesman Harrison Fields told the Daily Mail. 'He's always been open to have conversations with any good faith actor who is willing to pick up the phone or call on directly or meet in person with the ultimate goal of finding common ground and getting the bill passed.' And with Trump's landmark Big Beautiful Bill Act winding its way through Congress there have already been multiple Republicans walked off the ledge as they considered defecting and going against the president and Johnson's massive budget plan. When the act was on the precipice of passing in late May, conservative members of the House Freedom Caucus, upset with the bill increasing the debt limit, told Johnson and Trump that they weren't going to budge. Though after the holdouts were invited to the White House to meet privately along with Trump, the lawmakers flipped. Multiple aides called out members of the House Freedom Caucus for opposing Trump's 'big, beautiful bill.' HFC Chair Andy Harris, R-Md., was one of those who got a meeting with the president in the days leading up to the crucial vote. He eventually voted 'present.' HFC members Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, and Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., were also named by staffers as those 'principled' lawmakers willing to buck Trump's plan. Just this year there have been numerous lawmakers posting on X or going on Fox News to share the details of how the president changed their vote at the last minute. 'President Trump and I spoke about our priorities, which include securing our border, reducing the debt and inflation, cutting our spending, and leading with fiscal responsibility,' Burchett said after deciding to cast a vote to advance the BBB in February. He was among the 'pick me' members of the House GOP caucus who staff said are quick to stir up drama. An article was later written about the lawmaker's decisive vote; Burchett also posted a selfie video on X explaining his decision too. That clip got over 250,000 views, and the Republican has since been posting more selfie-styled videos on his profile. 'Congressman Burchett unapologetically votes his conscience on every piece of legislation,' a spokesperson for the Republican told the Daily Mail. Reps. Nancy Mace, Eric Burlison and Victoria Spartz were also on the list, according to multiple Republican aides. One of the main complaints from staffers was how some GOP personalities are trying to showcase their individual exceptionalism while playing a team sport. 'These members are making this about themselves instead of the mission,' another GOP House staffer shared. 'Congress is a team effort, and instead of working collaboratively, they're trying to play the star - undermining the speaker and our leadership by running to Trump when they don't get their way.' Some working to increase their national profiles are better at it than others, one senior aide shared. 'The Warren Davidsons and Mike Collins type members who don't do any real legislating and are otherwise just there for the clout and to try and get the attention of DJT,' they told the Daily Mail. 'On the flip side I do think there are members who actually can wage influence over policy from that angle.' 'Like I don't underestimate how much MTG can influence because she and Trump are close.' Greene is seemingly one of the closest members to the president, having met with him multiple times this year, at least once at Mar-a-Lago and another time at the White House. She has told the Daily Mail on multiple occasions there's 'no sunlight' between she and the president. As the BBB weaves through the Senate it could be edited and later sent back to the House for a final vote before being transmitted to Trump's desk. If it does, there will almost certainly be a list of Republicans that will want to chat with Trump before they vote.
North Wales Chronicle
2 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Molly Russell's father urges PM to act over online harms as ‘app cap' considered
Ian Russell, whose 14-year-old daughter took her own life after viewing harmful content on social media, urged the Prime Minister to 'act decisively' in toughening legislation to protect young people online. It comes after Cabinet minister Pete Kyle signalled he was looking at measures to restrict the amount of time children spend on their phones, including through a possible 10pm curfew. Mr Russell, who is chairman of the Molly Rose Foundation set up in his daughter's memory, said: 'Every day the Government has delayed bringing in tougher online safety laws we've seen more young lives lost and damaged because of weak regulation and inaction by big tech. 'Parents up and down the country would be delighted to see the Prime Minister act decisively to quell the tsunami of harm children face online, but sticking plasters will not do the job. 'Only a stronger and more effective Online Safety Act will finally change the dial on fundamentally unsafe products and business models that prioritise engagement over safety.' The Online Safety Act has passed into law, and from this year will require tech platforms to follow new Ofcom-issued codes of practice to keep users safe online, particularly children. Hefty fines and site blockages are among the penalties for those caught breaking the rules, but many critics have argued the approach gives tech firms too much scope to regulate themselves. Mr Kyle was asked on Sunday morning whether he would look at limiting the time children spend on social media to two hours per app after the Sunday People and Mirror reported the measure was being considered by ministers. 'I've not been able to talk publicly about what the Labour approach is because we have the legacy legislation that has to go through first,' he told the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg show. 'This year we've had illegal content that needs to be taken down, but in July age-appropriate material must be supplied by platforms otherwise there'll be criminal sanctions against them. 'And in this time, I've been looking very carefully about what we do next.' Pressed on whether he was looking at an 'app cap', Mr Kyle said: 'I'm looking at things that prevent healthy activity, I'm looking at some of the addictive nature of some of the apps and smartphones. 'I'm trying to think how we can break some of the addictive behaviour and incentivise more of the healthy developmental… and also the good communicative side of online life.'
