Rowegie Abanto

Generic thumbnail for jail. Jail thumbnail

Article (news)

Bill imposes jail time for creation and sharing of non-consensual explicit material

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — A House bill is seeking to impose jail time against criminals behind the creation and distribution of non-consensual sexually explicit material — including those generated by AI tools — and establish a portal for faster takedown of obscene content.</p><p>House Bill No. 807 or the Take It Down Act of 2025, filed by Bagong Henerasyon (BH) party-list Rep. Robert Nazal, is meant to address the &quot;growing misuse of artificial intelligence,&quot; including the creation of fake nude images and pornographic content for &quot;harassment, extortion, or humiliation,&quot; the lawmaker said in a statement Sunday.</p><p>Nazal also pointed out that generative AI &quot;made it easier to create realistic deepfake images and videos.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/technology/2025/7/22/anxious-parents-face-tough-choices-on-ai-1056">Anxious parents face tough choices on AI</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;NO CLEAR PROCESS&#x27; FOR TAKEDOWNS</strong></div><p>Current laws in the Philippines do not explicitly criminalize the creation and sharing of AI-generated non-consensual sexually explicit material, Nazal said.</p><p>He added that there is still &quot;no clear process&quot; for fast removal of offensive content, especially &quot;when the perpetrators are overseas or platforms fail to act.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/16/chr-warns-vs-posting-children-s-pics-online-amid-rise-in-abuse-cases-1549">CHR warns vs posting children&#x27;s pics online amid rise in abuse cases</a></div><p>Aside from creation and distribution, the bill also criminalizes the possession of non-consensual sexually explicit material, including AI-manipulated content. </p><p>The bill also grants extraterritorial jurisdiction to allow Filipino victims to pursue cases against offenders abroad.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>LENGTHY JAIL TIME FOR CRIMINALS; PLATFORMS MAY FACE HEAVY FINES</strong><strong><br/></strong></div><p>The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) will be tasked to set up a P50-million &quot;Take It Down&quot; portal where victims can file verified takedown requests.</p><p>The bill mandates the DICT to process requests within 24 hours, and platforms should remove flagged content within 48 hours &quot;or face fines of up to P1 million per incident.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Violators face up to 12 years in prison, rising to 20 years if the victim is a minor. Victims may also sue for damages and all proceedings will be kept confidential to protect the victim&#x27;s identity,&quot; the lawmaker said.</p><p>Every three years, a joint congressional oversight committee will review the implementation of the bill, which takes inspiration from the United States-based Take It Down system and the United Kingdom&#x27;s StopNCII initiative.</p><p>&quot;We owe it to our people—especially women and children—to fight this form of digital violence with the full force of the law,&quot; Nazal said.</p><p>The lawmaker, citing the Philippine National Police, said the country recorded an 18-percent rise in voyeurism cases in 2024, adding that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) reported a &quot;240 percent increase in deepfake sextortion complaints.&quot;</p><p>Meanwhile, one in five Filipino children aged 12 to 17 has experienced online sexual exploitation or abuse, the lawmaker said, citing a 2022 study by the United Nations Children&#x27;s Fund, the International Criminal Police Organization, and End Child Prostitution and Trafficking. </p><p>Recently, content creator <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/17/tv-patrol-queen-hera-dumulog-sa-nbi-larawan-ng-anak-minanipula-at-ginamit-umano-sa-kalaswaan-2039">Queen Hera went to the NBI to report that her child&#x27;s photo had been manipulated and used in obscene materials</a> online.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;LONG-OVERDUE SAFEGUARD&#x27;</strong></div><p>Former Rep. Bernadette Herrera, BH party-list spokesperson, called the legislation &quot;a long-overdue safeguard&quot; for the victims of the creation and publication of non-consensual sexually explicit material.</p><p>&quot;This bill closes a dangerous legal gap that offenders have been exploiting with AI. It gives victims a clear path to justice, and more importantly, a way to reclaim their dignity in a system that has too often failed them,&quot; said Herrera.</p><p>The &quot;Take It Down&quot; system, the former lawmaker said, would be &quot;life-changing for victims who are often retraumatized by the lack of immediate remedies.&quot;</p><p>&quot;No victim should be forced to beg platforms for mercy while their stolen images are passed around online. This bill shifts the burden where it belongs—on the abusers and enablers,&quot; she said.</p><div><strong>—Rowegie Abanto, ABS-CBN News</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gFfFBTsjPT0?&amp;t=127s&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><strong></strong><br/></div>

<p>A House bill is seeking to impose jail time against criminals behind the creation and distribution of non-consensual sexually explicit material — including those generated by AI tools — and establish a portal for faster takedown of obscene content.</p>

A House bill is seeking to impose jail time against criminals behind the creation and distribution of non-consensual sexually explicit material — including those generated by AI tools — and establish a portal for faster takedown of obscene content.

Bill imposes jail time for making and sharing non-consensual explicit material

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

Nation

Bill imposes jail time for making and sharing non-consensual explicit material

ABS-CBN News

Published August 03, 2025 04:06 PM PHT

Read More:

ABSNews

ANC promo

Take It Down

sexual harassment

AI

deepfake

nonconsensual sexually explicit material

artificial intelligence

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

Sign Up

I have read and agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy.

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.