Senate-Passed Bill Outlawing AI-Generated Explicit Deepfakes Moves To House
The U.S. Senate on Thursday unanimously approved the Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act, or DEFIANCE Act, a bipartisan effort to strengthen legal protections for individuals targeted by nonconsensual deepfake imagery. The bill now proceeds to the House of Representatives for consideration.
The measure would allow individuals depicted in sexually explicit deepfake images or videos — digital fabrications created without their consent — to pursue civil damages of at least $150,000 per violation against persons responsible for creating or sharing such content.
Legislators who supported the bill said existing legal frameworks are insufficient to address the growing prevalence of deepfake technology and the unique harms it causes. They noted the legislation builds on earlier federal and state laws aimed at curbing nonconsensual intimate imagery, but expands the scope and clarity of remedies available under federal civil law.
Deepfake content — synthetic media produced using artificial intelligence and machine learning — has surged in recent years, raising concerns in Washington about privacy, harassment, fraud, and national security. Lawmakers from both parties have pushed a series of proposals in recent sessions to update laws governing digital impersonation and nonconsensual imagery.
Earlier legislative efforts focused on criminal penalties for creating or distributing explicit deepfakes of public officials or election candidates, or unauthorized alterations of videos used in political context. Other bills aimed to enhance law enforcement’s ability to investigate and prosecute deepfake-related fraud and identity theft.
The DEFIANCE Act differs from those proposals by creating a federal civil right of action, enabling private individuals — not just government prosecutors — to seek monetary damages in federal court. The bill would supplement state laws that vary widely in enforcement and penalties related to deepfake and revenge-porn imagery.
Supporters have argued that civil remedies are crucial because many victims face ongoing reputational harm and emotional distress long after illicit content is published. Civil suits, proponents say, can provide both compensation and deterrence.
If the House approves the DEFIANCE Act and the president signs it into law, the new provisions would expand legal avenues for victims of nonconsensual deepfakes and related digital forgeries. Advocates for stronger protections have said the approach could serve as a model for future legislation addressing other forms of digitally manipulated content.
Opposition in the Senate was nonexistent, reflecting bipartisan agreement on the need to update legal tools in the face of rapid advances in artificial intelligence and digital media technologies.
The bill’s proponents say it represents a significant step in the federal government’s response to technology that can create convincing but fraudulent depictions of real people, often used to harass, humiliate or exploit victims.
Meanwhile, social media influencer and entrepreneur Paris Hilton joined Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in announcing a new collaborative effort this week aimed at combating the creation and distribution of AI-generated sexually explicit imagery without consent.
The initiative, unveiled Thursday, seeks to raise awareness of the growing prevalence of artificial intelligence tools that can produce realistic deepfake pornography using the likenesses of real individuals. The effort calls for legislative and technological solutions to protect potential victims and hold creators and distributors accountable.
Hilton, who has previously spoken publicly about being targeted by nonconsensual explicit content earlier in her career, said that the proliferation of AI tools “makes it easier than ever” for deceptive imagery to spread and cause harm. She urged lawmakers and technology companies to act urgently to establish safeguards.
Ocasio-Cortez, a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, emphasized the need for stronger legal frameworks that can address the unique challenges posed by AI-generated content. She noted that traditional privacy and harassment statutes may not fully encompass the nuances of AI-enabled manipulation.
The pair’s announcement follows increased attention from lawmakers and advocacy groups concerned about how advances in artificial intelligence intersect with issues of consent, privacy and online safety. AI researchers and civil liberties organizations have also called for clearer standards and potential regulatory measures to limit the misuse of image synthesis technologies.
Breaking, PAM BONDI discloses that she has been diagnosed with…
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Steve Yates discusses Pam Bondi's contributions after her removal as attorney general
Steve Yates, former deputy national security advisor for Vice President Cheney, reflects on Attorney General Pam Bondi's significant contributions, especially in fighting illicit fentanyl and advocating for victims.
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Former Attorney General Pam Bondi was diagnosed with thyroid cancer shortly after departing the Department of Justice last month, according to a report.
Bondi, 60, who left her role at the Justice Department in early April, underwent treatment and is recovering, a source told Axios.
Katie Miller, a former White House staffer and podcast host who is married to White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller, reposted the report on X on Tuesday.
"Pam has been quietly kicking cancer's ass the last few weeks," she wrote.
PAM BONDI CANCELS APPEARANCE AT ANTI-TRAFFICKING SUMMIT OVER MEDICAL ISSUE
Attorney General Pam Bondi takes her seat before testifying at a House Judiciary Committee hearing on oversight of the Department of Justice on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 11, 2026. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP)
She added that Bondi has "a heart of gold."
Axios disclosed the health update while reporting that Bondi has been appointed by President Donald Trump to an advisory committee focused on artificial intelligence policy.
The White House confirmed to Fox News Digital that Bondi will serve on the Presidential Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.
"Pam has been an enormously valuable asset to the president's team, and I'm thrilled for her and for all of us that she's going to remain involved in confronting some of the most important issues the administration faces," Vice President JD Vance said in a statement.
AG PAM BONDI SUGGESTS TRUMP'S CRIME CRACKDOWN IN DC WILL HELP LATINO RESIDENTS
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 7, 2025. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
The council is co-chaired by White House AI and crypto czar David Sacks and White House science advisor Michael Kratsios.
Bondi will reportedly help facilitate coordination between the federal government and technology executives serving on the panel.
News of Bondi’s diagnosis and new advisory role comes weeks after Trump removed her as attorney general.
KARL ROVE: TRUMP DROPPED BONDI, BUT THE REAL POLITICAL FIGHT IS JUST BEGINNING
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche attends a news conference at the Justice Department in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 19, 2025. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
In a Truth Social post announcing her departure, Trump described Bondi as "a Great American Patriot and a loyal friend."
"Pam did a tremendous job overseeing a massive crackdown in Crime across our Country, with Murders plummeting to their lowest level since 1900," Trump wrote. "We love Pam, and she will be transitioning to a much needed and important new job in the private sector, to be announced at a date in the near future."
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has served as acting attorney general since Bondi’s departure.
BLANCHE INVOKES TRUMP ‘LOVE’ WHEN ASKED ABOUT STAYING ON AFTER BONDI
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks as President Donald Trump looks on during a news conference in the Oval Office of the White House on Oct. 15, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
In a post on X confirming her exit from the Justice Department, Bondi said she remains "eternally grateful for the trust that President Trump placed in me to Make America Safe Again."
"Over the next month I will be working tirelessly to transition the office of Attorney General to the amazing Todd Blanche before moving to an important private sector role I am thrilled about, and where I will continue fighting for President Trump and this Administration," Bondi wrote.
"Leading President Trump’s historic and highly successful efforts to make America safer and more secure has been the honor of a lifetime, and easily the most consequential first year of the Department of Justice in American history."
Judge Tosses Wolff Suit, Clearing Path For $1B Melania Claim
Wolff filed suit against Trump seeking to block her from suing him for $1 billion for alleged defamatory claims he made regarding her association with Jeffrey Epstein.
“It’s an inappropriate level of tactical gamesmanship,” said Manhattan Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil, an appointee of President Donald Trump.
Vyskocil said she would not be “drafted to oversee an abusively presented spat,” yet she recognized that both sides have a “real dispute.”
Last year, the first lady’s lawyer issued Wolff a letter demanding he delete the statements he made about Trump and threatening that she would have “no alternative” but to sue him if he didn’t.
That spurred him to sue her in state court in October.
Trump’s lawyer, Alejandro Brito, had the complaint moved to federal court, where Vyskocil declared that while federal court does have jurisdiction, she was declining to exercise it and “dismisses this case to be litigated like any other.”
A Melania Trump spokesperson said that the first lady “is proud to continue standing up to, and fighting against, those who spread malicious and defamatory falsehoods as they desperately try to get undeserved attention and money from their unlawful conduct.”
The 56-year-old’s lawyer previously claimed that Wolff’s statements caused her “overwhelming reputational and financial harm.”
The first lady has denied any association with Epstein, who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on charges of child sex trafficking.
“The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today,” the first lady said in an April press conference.
“The individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards, humility, and respect. I do not object to their ignorance, but rather I reject their mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation,” she added at the time.
Wolff claimed in his lawsuit that the president and first lady “have made a practice of threatening those who speak against them” with costly legal actions “to silence their speech, to intimidate their critics generally, and to extract unjustified payments and North Korean-style confessions and apologies.”
He added that some of his statements were taken out of context and some were protected speech, including a statement he made that claimed the Trumps have a “sham marriage, trophy marriage,” that his lawsuit says was a “fair and justified” opinion.
It also said in his lawsuit that Wolff never accused the first lady of being involved with criminal activity associated with Epstein.
The Daily Beast retracted an article last summer, titled “Melania Trump ‘Very Involved’ in Epstein Scandal: Author,” which was based on an interview with Wolff, after the outlet received a letter from Brito.
In the interview that formed the basis for the retracted piece, Wolff said he reported that the first lady was “behind the scenes” dealing with the situation at the White House, but was not involved criminally.
Republican Rep. Nancy Mace praised Melania Trump at the time for coming out against Epstein.
“Melania Trump stands with Epstein victims,” Mace said, citing the first lady’s advocacy for legislation addressing the distribution of fake intimate images. “The truth will prevail.”
Democratic lawmakers also commented following the statement.
Rep. Robert Garcia called for a public hearing, writing, “We agree with First Lady Melania Trump’s call for a public hearing,” Garcia said. “We encourage Chairman Comer to schedule a hearing immediately.”
Garcia said the remarks renewed attention on the broader investigation.
In her remarks, Melania Trump called on Congress to take action.
“Now is the time for Congress to act,” she said.
She urged lawmakers to allow victims to testify under oath.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
