DOJ seizes deepfake porn domains under TAKE IT DOWN Act

Federal law enforcement has taken offline two websites accused of distributing nonconsensual AI-generated nude images, signaling the first public enforcement action under a 2025 law targeting deepfake pornography. The seizure of CFAKE.com and SOCFAKE.com follows a multinational investigation involving U.S., Italian, and French authorities, highlighting the cross-border challenges of policing digital abuse enabled by artificial intelligence.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced the domain seizures on Friday, confirming that a federal judge found probable cause the sites violated the TAKE IT DOWN Act. The law, signed in May 2025, makes it a federal crime to publish sexually explicit altered images of identifiable individuals without their consent. Both domains now display a seizure banner citing violations of 47 U.S.C. § 223, the statute underpinning the legislation. The banner notes the operation involved Homeland Security Investigations, French National Police, Italy’s Postal and Cybersecurity Police, and U.S. prosecutors.

What happened

The investigation began in October 2025 after Italy’s Postal and Cybersecurity Police received complaints about AI-generated sexually explicit images depicting women in politics, sports, entertainment, and journalism. Italian authorities obtained a court order blocking access to the websites within Italy while continuing their probe. Evidence gathered by U.S. law enforcement was later shared with French counterparts, leading to the arrest of a suspect in Nice on June 10 and the seizure of cryptocurrency allegedly linked to the operation.

According to the DOJ, the sites hosted deepfake images and videos of politicians, celebrities, athletes, musicians, and royalty from multiple countries. Deepfakes—AI-generated or manipulated media—are often created using existing photos, videos, or audio recordings. While the technology has legitimate applications, it is frequently weaponized for nonconsensual pornography, impersonation scams, and fraud.

Why it matters

The seizure of CFAKE.com and SOCFAKE.com demonstrates the TAKE IT DOWN Act’s potential to disrupt large-scale distribution of deepfake pornography. The law’s requirement for platforms to remove reported content within 48 hours could pressure hosting providers, registrars, and CDNs to adopt stricter content moderation policies. However, the global nature of the internet means enforcement will likely remain reactive, targeting high-profile cases while smaller-scale abuse persists.

For domain industry professionals, the case underscores the legal risks associated with hosting or enabling access to sites engaged in illegal content distribution. Registrars and hosting providers may face increased scrutiny from law enforcement, particularly when domains are linked to jurisdictions with weak enforcement mechanisms. The involvement of multiple countries in the investigation also signals growing international cooperation on digital crimes, which could lead to more frequent cross-border domain seizures or content takedowns.

What to watch

The DOJ’s use of the TAKE IT DOWN Act in this case may encourage more victims to report deepfake abuse, potentially leading to additional domain seizures or criminal charges. However, the law’s effectiveness will depend on enforcement resources and the willingness of platforms to comply with removal requests. Future cases could also test the boundaries of the statute, particularly around issues of jurisdiction, free speech, and the definition of "identifiable individuals."

The arrest in France and the seizure of cryptocurrency suggest law enforcement is targeting not just the distribution but also the financial infrastructure behind deepfake operations. This could prompt operators to adopt more sophisticated evasion tactics, such as decentralized hosting or privacy-focused payment methods, complicating future investigations.