US Federal Trade Commission warns 12 ‘nudify’ websites to comply with Take It Down Act

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sent warning letters Wednesday to 12 websites offering so-called “nudify” tools, alleging they have failed to comply with a federal law requiring platforms to remove nonconsensual intimate images within 48 hours of a valid request.

The letters, addressed to companies the FTC did not publicly name, allege the 12 websites are in violation of the Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites and Networks Act (TIDA) by failing to provide users with a process to request the removal of nonconsensual intimate images (NCII). “Nudify” tools allow users to take a clothed image of an individual and generate a sexualized image by digitally removing the subject’s clothing.

“Today we’re demonstrating just how serious we are about protecting the public, especially children, from abusive online conduct,” said FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson. “Platforms no longer have any excuses—they must comply with their obligations under the TAKE IT DOWN Act or face the consequences.”

Section 3 of TIDA, which took effect May 19, 2026, requires covered platforms to give victims a mechanism to request the removal of NCII shared without their consent and to remove those images, along with known identical copies, within 48 hours of a valid request. The warning letters urge the companies to “immediately come into compliance” or face FTC legal action that could result in civil penalties of up to $53,088 per violation.

TIDA was signed into law by President Donald Trump in May 2025 and gave businesses one year to comply with its requirements. The FTC began enforcing the law on May 19 and simultaneously launched takeitdown.ftc.gov, a portal through which victims can submit complaints about platforms that have failed to process removal requests.

Wednesday’s warning letters followed letters Ferguson sent last week to 15 major platforms, including Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Snapchat, TikTok, and X, reminding them of their compliance obligations under TIDA. No statement from any of the 12 companies identified in Wednesday’s letters was immediately available. Companies that fail to comply with TIDA’s requirements could face formal FTC enforcement action beyond the warning letters.