First Lady Melania Trump has reiterated her dedication to safeguarding children and youth in the digital environment. She conveyed this commitment through a written message to participants of a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) workshop titled, “The Attention Economy: How Big Tech Firms Exploit Children and Hurt Families.”
In her statement, Mrs. Trump expressed her anticipation for the workshop's outcomes, emphasizing the importance of shaping federal policies to protect children. She stated, “We will work together to develop tools to empower parents and youth, and we will lean on tech executives in the private sector to do their part.” She also extended gratitude to FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson for his leadership on this matter.
Andrew Ferguson acknowledged Mrs. Trump's pivotal role in advancing the "TAKE IT DOWN Act," stating, “I’m also incredibly grateful to the First Lady for her leadership on the ‘TAKE IT DOWN Act’. Getting legislation done in any circumstance is very difficult, and the ‘TAKE IT DOWN’ Act could not have gotten through Congress without the First Lady’s intervention and leadership.” He added that her advocacy was crucial in passing this bill.
Mrs. Trump's message aligns with her continuous efforts to foster collaboration between public and private sectors for children's welfare. The FTC event coincides with President Trump's signing of the "TAKE IT DOWN Act," which allows individuals and families to request prompt removal of non-consensual explicit imagery, including AI-generated content. This act is part of Mrs. Trump's BE BEST initiative focused on children's well-being and online safety.
The full text of First Lady Melania Trump’s message was shared at the event:
"I send my greetings to those gathered at the Federal Trade Commission’s Attention Economy Workshop.
At the White House, we recently celebrated the signing of the 'TAKE IT DOWN Act' as part of my BE BEST initiative, which is focused on promoting children’s well-being and safety—especially in the digital space. This new law reflects those values and marks real progress. But our work is not complete.
I look forward to hearing the outcomes from this workshop so we can continue to shape federal policies that protect children. We will work together to develop tools to empower parents and youth, and we will lean on tech executives in the private sector to do their part.
Like many of you, I’ve met with survivors and families whose lives have been affected by non-consensual intimate imagery and deepfake abuse. Let their courage continue to inspire us to find solutions to protect children and youth from online harm. My thanks to Chairman Ferguson for his leadership, and I thank all of you for your hard work to secure a safer future for our children."
