Melania Trump marked the first conviction under the Take It Down Act, a federal law that prohibits non-consensual online publication of intimate visual depictions of people. James Strahler, a 37-year-old man from Upper Arlington, pleaded guilty to cyberstalking and producing obscene visual representations of child sexual abuse. He used AI-generated images to harass women, including former romantic partners, and threatened to publish explicit content unless they sent him nude photographs. Strahler also created videos showing children engaged in sexual acts with their relatives and posted them online. He was convicted under a provision of the Take It Down Act, which was enacted in 2025 and requires online platforms to quickly take down intimate visual depictions upon receiving notice of their existence. Violators face mandatory restitution and criminal penalties, including prison, a fine, or both.
First US Conviction Under Take It Down Act: AI-Generated Revenge Porn Law Explained
James Strahler is the first in the US to be convicted under the Take It Down Act for using AI-generated, sexually explicit images of women to intimidate them.
