Bronx Democrat, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Republican Rep. Laurel Lee (FL-15) and businesswoman and activist, Paris Hilton were joined by other advocates and elected representatives on Thursday, Jan. 22, in Washington D.C. as they called for the passage of the Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act (DEFIANCE Act), bipartisan legislation that would grant survivors the right to take civil action against those who knowingly produce, distribute, solicit and receive, or possess with the intent to distribute, nonconsensual sexually-explicit digital forgeries i.e. deep fake, pornographic AI images.

 

Ocasio-Cortez said that since the public release of AI tools, the world had seen an explosion in AI-generated images being used to sexually harass victims and children. “Out of all deepfake images that AI has generated, over 90% have been nonconsensual, pornographic deepfakes, and out of those images, 90% of them have targeted women,” she said. “As a prominent, female elected official, I, as well as many others here, have spoken about our experience being targeted by AI deepfake pornography.”

 

The congresswoman said that not only was the coalition of advocates for the bill one of legislators but also one of survivors of sexual harassment, and in some cases abuse and assault. “As a survivor of sexual assault, this resurfaces trauma for so many people across the country, and that is what it is intended to do, because the creation of this content parallels the same exact intention of physical rape and sexual assault, which is about power, domination, and humiliation,” she said.

 

Ocasio-Cortez went on to say that while the fake images may be digital, the harm to victims is very real. “Women lose their jobs when they are targeted with this, teenagers switch schools, and children lose their lives,” she said. “Congress has a moral obligation to stop this harm. We can stop this harm and pass legislation to hold the people responsible accountable.”

 

The congresswoman said that currently, one in eight teenagers know a friend who has been targeted by AI deepfake harassment. “We should all be horrified by that number because if you are a middle schooler or a high schooler in the United States of America, you most likely know someone who has been a victim of this,” she said. “Their parents are waking up every morning in fear that their kid could be next, and while everyday Americans are terrified, corporations are finding new ways to profit from the creation of these deepfakes.”

 

Ocasio-Cortez said while legislators and advocates were grateful that Congress took “a tremendous step” in passing into law in May 2025 the “Take IT DOWN Act,” which was championed by First Lady Melania Trump, as reported, to ensure harmful content was removed from online platforms, they knew there was more work to be done. “It is not enough to take down content; we need to give victims a civil right of action,” she said. “TAKE IT DOWN gave us removal, and DEFIANCE will give us recourse and restitution.”

The congresswoman said that once the bill was signed into law, emphasizing that “it will be signed into law,” survivors would have the ability to hold their abusers accountable and seek financial and reputational damage for the harm she said they have caused.

 

“In times of extreme political polarization, I also want to underline that the partnership that Rep. Lee and I have formed, as well as the invaluable partnership of Sens. Durbin and Graham in the Senate, I think it represents a real spotlight and possibility that in this time of deep division, there are still bright spots possible and there is still progress that is possible here,” she said.

 

She said last week the Senate passed the bill by unanimous consent to give survivors of digital abuse and exploitation the tools they need to seek justice. The congresswoman added that bicameral, bipartisan advocacy for legislation focused on delivering justice for the American people. “So since we’ve made some massive step[s] forward it’s time for us to finish the job,” she said. “So I urge Speaker Johnson, who I have had positive and encouraging conversations with, to put this on the floor for a vote as quickly as possible.”

 

For her part, Lee said Congress recognized the real harm caused by deep fake AIs and paid tribute to the survivors, including Hilton, as a public figure, for using her platform to shine a national light on the issue. “Your courage, your voices, your willingness to help us shape this legislation are the reason that we are here,” she said. She also thanked her colleagues in government who support the bill.

 

She added, in part, that legislators were confident they had addressed any First Amendment concerns which arose during discussions on it, broadly confirming that it would introduce a cause of action against an individual who produces or distributes the deep AI, rather than a cause of action against a tech company via which the image is shared. “It does not affect Section 2 liability protections,’ Lee said.

During her remarks, Hilton said in part, that when she was 19, a private, intimate video of her was shared with the world without her consent. “People called it a scandal,” she said. “It wasn’t; it was abuse. There were no laws at the time to protect me. There weren’t even words for what had been done to me. The internet was still new and so was the cruelty that came with it. They called me names, they laughed and called me the punchline.”

 

Later, 17-year-old, New Jersey high school student and survivor, Francesca Mani, addressed those gathered, and also urged the passage of the bill. “When I was 14, back in 2023, I became a confirmed victim of AI generated deep fakes at my high school,” she said, adding that the school administration informed her there could be no accountability for what happened to her as no applicable laws existed. “So I told them, I will bring you a law,” she said in part.

 

Francesca said only three states at that stage had deep fake AI laws but in 2026, all 50 states have them, in addition to federal protections like the Take it Down Act. She added, however, that more legislation was needed in the form of the DEFIANCE Act, which she said allows victims to sue perpetrators, adding that it allows for damages of up to $250,000 dollars and a 10-year statute of limitations.

 

She went on to speak about the importance of shifting focus, while important, away from the effect of such deep fakes on survivors, and placing it back on perpetrators in terms sending a message that there will be severe consequences for such actions. “It’s not cool or comfortable in jail,” said Mani. She said in her case, she wasn’t even friends with the perpetrators. “Who gave you the permission?” she asked. “I don’t know how they got my image but that’s not my fault,” she said. “It’s theirs.”

 

The teen’s mom also spoke, confirming that her daughter has not and will not take action against the perpetrators, but added that the bill serves to empower victims to make that choice if they wish. “As a mother and as an educator, I understand that context matters,” she said. “Every victim should have the right to choose their own path without judgement.”

A reporter asked given Hilton’s advocacy work on prior legislation, and on the DEFIANCE Act, if she was considering a run for office. She broadly said that she considered her advocacy work the most important work of her life but did not confirm if she would be formally getting into politics.

 

Ocasio-Cortez was asked, given the first lady’s advocacy for the Take It Down Act, and if the DEFIANCE Act were to be passed, if she would attend a bill signing ceremony at the White House. She broadly said that it was up to the president to decide which bills are assigned an official signing ceremony.

 

She added that she, herself, and she hoped others were willing to put aside any differences to advocate for victims and survivors of sexual harassment and assault. “Of course, where there are people coming together to champion survivors, I will be there and I know that everyone here would be happy to support them as well.”

 

In other tech-related news, on Thursday, The New York Times reported that the Chinese social media platform, TikTok, had struck a deal for a new U.S. entity, ending what was described as a long legal saga. “The Chinese parent company of the popular video app said a group of non-Chinese investors would create an American TikTok to avoid a federal ban,” an extract from the story read.

 

As previously reported, New York Attorney General Letitia James sent a letter in May 2021 to Meta opposing a proposed “Instagram for Kids” App in efforts to protect children from the harmful effects of social media apps.

 

Separately, in January 2023, as reported, Meta was required to change its ad policy to prevent violation of the Fair Housing Act.