New: a trial court in 1 of every 10 U.S. counties. Read the post
Court Rules
All enforcement actions
Warning LetterLow Risk

FTC Chairman Ferguson Advises Technology Companies to Comply with Take It Down Act

Amazon, Alphabet, Apple, Automattic, Bumble, Discord, Match Group, Meta, Microsoft, Pinterest, Reddit, SmugMug, Snapchat, TikTok, XMay 11, 2026Federal Trade Commission

Summary

Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson sent letters to over a dozen major technology companies reminding them of their obligation to comply with the Take It Down Act (TIDA) by May 19, 2026. TIDA requires covered platforms to establish a process for victims, including children, to request removal of nonconsensual intimate images, with takedown of content and all identical copies required within 48 hours of a valid request. The FTC also issued supplemental guidance to help companies prepare for compliance and warned that it will monitor and enforce violations of the law.

Contract Impact

In-house legal teams at covered platforms (including social media, messaging, image/video sharing, and gaming platforms) should review user terms of service and privacy policies to ensure they include a clear and conspicuous notice of the process for victims to request removal of nonconsensual intimate images, as required by the Take It Down Act. Vendor agreements with content moderation service providers should be updated to include service level agreements mandating 48-hour takedown of valid requests and all identical copies of removed content. Additionally, employee training materials and internal content moderation guidelines should be revised to align with TIDA definitions of covered content and verification procedures for victim requests, particularly for content involving children.

Contract Search Terms

nonconsensual intimate image removal48 hour takedown requirementTake It Down Act compliancevictim request processchildren's intimate imageclear and conspicuous noticeidentical copy removalcovered platform definition

Laws Cited

Take It Down Act (TIDA)

Violation Types

Entity Details

Entity

Amazon, Alphabet, Apple, Automattic, Bumble, Discord, Match Group, Meta, Microsoft, Pinterest, Reddit, SmugMug, Snapchat, TikTok, X

Industry

Technology

Official Sources

Source Evidence

Entity Name
"including Amazon, Alphabet, Apple, Automattic, Bumble, Discord, Match Group, Meta, Microsoft, Pinterest, Reddit, SmugMug, Snapchat, TikTok and X."
Laws Cited
"Take It Down Act (TIDA)"
Event Date
"May 11, 2026"
Jurisdiction
"Federal Trade Commission"
Event Type
"sent letters today to more than a dozen prominent technology companies reminding businesses of their obligation to comply fully with the Take It Down Act (TIDA)"
Summary
"Take It Down Act (TIDA) requires covered platforms to establish a process allowing victims, including children, to request removal of intimate photos or videos shared without their consent."

Related Enforcement Actions

FTC

REPS & Company Inc.

The FTC referred a complaint against REPS & Company Inc. and company executives, alleging they bypassed ticket-issuer security controls and purchasing limits to acquire millions of tickets for resale. The complaint was filed by the Department of Justice, and the case will be decided by the court; the press release does not report a penalty or other remedy imposed.

FTC

Digital Forensics Corporation LLC

The FTC sued Digital Forensics Corporation LLC and affiliated defendants, alleging they misled sextortion victims with promises of investigative and monitoring services that often were not provided, and used fake positive reviews. A federal court granted the FTC’s request to temporarily halt the defendants’ activities; the complaint remains for the court to decide.

FTC

Greenway Auto Group

The FTC alleged that Greenway Auto Group advertised vehicle prices thousands of dollars below the amounts consumers actually paid and used mailers falsely suggesting recipients had won cash prizes. Greenway agreed to an order requiring transparent pricing and prohibiting deceptive prize mailers and other misrepresentations; the press release does not state a monetary penalty.

FTC

24 healthcare services companies (not individually named)

The FTC sent warning letters to 24 large healthcare services companies, cautioning that incomplete, inaccurate, or untimely pricing information for scheduled medical care may be unfair or deceptive. The letters urge recipients to review their price-disclosure practices and take corrective action; they announce no fine or formal order.

FTC

Premier Franchising Group LLC and Franchise Fastlane LLC

$1.9M

The FTC alleged that Premier Franchising Group LLC and Franchise Fastlane LLC made deceptive and unsubstantiated claims about the Premier Martial Arts franchise opportunity and violated the Franchise Rule. The proposed settlements require the companies to pay a combined $1.85 million to compensate franchisees, prohibit certain misrepresentations, and require Franchise Rule compliance; certain franchisees may also cancel their agreements without penalty.

FTC

Lens.com Inc.

The FTC, Utah, and Nevada sued Lens.com Inc., alleging that it advertised artificially low contact lens prices while hiding mandatory checkout charges and misleading consumers about its AutoRefill subscription. The complaint seeks to stop the alleged practices; the court has not yet decided the case, and no penalty or remedy has been imposed.