Duval Times

Senators Rick Scott and Jeanne Shaheen have sent letters to several Big Tech CEOs, urging them to adopt voluntary programs aimed at locating and removing non-consensual intimate imagery (NII) from online platforms. The bipartisan group of Senators addressed the CEOs of X, Alphabet, Amazon, Match, Zoom, Pinterest, Discord, OpenAI, Twitch, Microsoft, and Patreon. They requested written confirmation that these companies will implement the Take It Down and Stop NCII programs.

The spread of NII has become a significant concern in the digital age. According to the Revenge Porn Helpline, there was a 106 percent increase in reports last year compared to the previous year; 34 percent of these cases involved sextortion.

Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Joe Manchin (I-WV), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Angus King (I-ME), Bob Casey (D-PA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) joined Scott and Shaheen in this initiative.

In their letter, the senators stated: “With one post, NII shared online has the opportunity to ruin the life of an individual, often times young women and girls, and the presence of such on your platform cannot be taken lightly.” They added that by participating in Take It Down and Stop NCII programs, companies can take steps to mitigate the severe impact NII has on individuals' lives.

Senator Scott continues his advocacy for family safety online. He has introduced several pieces of legislation aimed at protecting children from harmful online content:

ASK Act: This act prevents children from accessing artificial intelligence features on social media without parental consent. It also requires rules prohibiting social media companies from charging fees or mandating paid subscriptions before allowing parents or kids to remove AI features from products used by minors.

Safe Social Media Act: This act mandates a study by the FTC in coordination with the CDC on the effects of social media use among American teenagers and children.

DATA Act: This act increases transparency by requiring Big Tech platforms to obtain express consent before using Americans’ personal information. It also provides legal recourse for individuals who believe their privacy rights have been violated.

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