Child Online Africa welcomes the recent signing of the Take It Down Act by U.S. President Donald Trump, a milestone in combating the non-consensual distribution of sexually explicit content including AI-generated images of minors and adults alike. This law gives victims power to demand the removal of such content, regardless of its source, and imposes federal criminal penalties on anyone who violates it.

The Act represents a bold commitment to protecting the dignity and digital safety of all individuals, especially those who are often found vulnerable in such circumstances. It sends a clear message: online exploitation will not be tolerated and digital platforms must act with speed to remove harmful material.

Child Online Africa by this Act is calling on African governments, regional bodies, and digital platforms to use this momentum to:

• Advocate for international cooperation on cybercrime to ensure justice for victims whose abuse crosses national borders.
• Press platforms operating within African jurisdictions to adopt robust content moderation and removal protocols.
• Enact or strengthen local legislation to combat online child sexual exploitation and non-consensual image sharing including AI-generated or digitally altered content.

“This Act serves as a blueprint,” said Awo Aidam Amenyah, Executive Director of Child Online Africa. “Africa must not wait for further harm to our children before we act. The digital environment must be governed by justice, empathy, transparency and accountability.”

Child rights organizations, policy makers, and digital safety advocates across the continent are encouraged to join this call to action. This could be one of the ways to fast track action on curbing Child Sexual Exploitation and abuse. Together, we can make the digital world fit for the African Child in attaining the Agenda 2040.