House Stalls DEFIANCE Act After Senate OK as 99% of Deepfake Porn Targets Women
Updated
Updated · The Independent · Aug 6
House Stalls DEFIANCE Act After Senate OK as 99% of Deepfake Porn Targets Women
2 articles · Updated · The Independent · Aug 6
Summary
The DEFIANCE Act, which would let victims sue people who create or distribute nonconsensual sexual deepfakes, cleared the Senate in January but still has not reached a House Judiciary Committee vote.
Republican resistance is reportedly tied to opposition to co-sponsor Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ahead of November midterms, even though the bill also has GOP backers including Laurel Lee and support from Speaker Mike Johnson.
Victims and advocates say the delay leaves women without meaningful recourse as AI abuse spreads: deepfakes rose from about 500,000 in 2023 to 8 million in 2025, and 99% target women.
Sabrina Javellana, now 28, said explicit AI fakes posted in 2021 drove her from Florida politics, while Paris Hilton said more than 100,000 deepfake images of her exist online.
The standoff underscores how federal law still trails fast-moving AI tools and platforms, despite last year's TAKE IT DOWN Act requiring sites to remove reported intimate images within 48 hours.
As AI deepfakes ruin lives instantly, will Congress finally pass the DEFIANCE Act before the technology outpaces the law completely?
If anonymous creators cannot be identified, can a new federal civil law truly protect victims from the devastating spread of AI fakes?
With nudification apps generating millions, are major tech platforms secretly profiting from the digital abuse survivors are desperately fighting to stop?
Legislative Paralysis in 2026: The DEFIANCE Act, Deepfake Victims, and the High Price of Congressional Inaction
Overview
The DEFIANCE Act, aimed at empowering victims of nonconsensual deepfakes, passed the Senate unanimously but is now stalled in the House due to committee inaction, partisan election concerns, and tech industry lobbying. As a result, there is still no federal law to unify state regulations, leaving victims without a clear legal path to justice. Meanwhile, the Take It Down Act requires platforms to quickly remove abusive content, but does not address the creators of deepfakes. This gap means victims remain vulnerable, especially as AI tools rapidly generate explicit images, and current laws only help if the material is shared, not just created.