Senate Showdown: AI Revenge Porn Bill Sparks Heated Debate Between Booker and Cruz

Senate Clash Over AI Revenge Porn Bill Highlights Political Tensions

In a surprising turn of events on the Senate floor, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) expressed frustration after Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) objected to a bipartisan bill aimed at cracking down on AI-generated fake revenge porn. The bill, known as the Take It Down Act, was expected to pass during a routine legislative session before Congress’s six-week recess.

The Take It Down Act, sponsored by Cruz and co-sponsored by several Democratic senators, seeks to criminalize the publication of deepfake porn, referred to as “nonconsensual intimate imagery.” It would require tech companies to remove such images within 48 hours of a valid request from a victim.

Booker’s last-minute objection, filed without providing a reason, caught many by surprise. Cruz expressed disappointment and frustration, suspecting political motives behind the move. He highlighted the testimony of Francesca Mani, a New Jersey high school student who was a victim of deepfake porn, and accused Booker of playing partisan politics to deny him a legislative win during his tough re-election race.

The political context of this clash is notable, as Booker is a longtime ally of Cruz’s opponent, Rep. Colin Allred (D-Texas), who has raised significant funds for his Senate campaign. Booker had previously made a fundraising pitch for Allred, emphasizing the need for him in the Senate.

Cruz stated that he had circulated the bill to colleagues two weeks before addressing any objections and expected it to be included in the list of uncontroversial items for legislative wrap-up. However, Booker’s objection came an hour before the bill was set to pass.

Jeff Giertz, Booker’s spokesperson, accused Cruz of staging the confrontation for political points. The Booker aide emphasized the seriousness of the problem and Booker’s commitment to resolving it, noting his record of addressing the issue of nonconsensual explicit images.

A similar piece of legislation, the Shield Act sponsored by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), recently passed the Senate by voice vote. It establishes federal criminal liability for sharing private, explicit images without consent. Cruz’s bill goes further by criminalizing AI-fabricated explicit images.

Klobuchar expressed uncertainty about Booker’s specific objections but plans to discuss the issue with him to resolve differences and pass the bill by the end of the year.

As the debate continues, the incident underscores the complex interplay between legislative priorities and political maneuvering in the Senate.