Washington, D.C.-Today, momentum for the bipartisan DEFIANCE Act accelerated in the House following a press conference led by Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Laurel Lee (R-FL), joined by entrepreneur and advocate Paris Hilton and Founder and CEO of the Sexual Violence Prevention Association (SVPA), Omny Miranda Martone. The White House AI Taskforce also held a roundtable where survivors discussed the importance of the DEFIANCE Act, indicating the administrations’ support for the bill.
This momentum follows the U.S. Senate’s unanimous passage of the DEFIANCE Act last week and comes as House leadership, including Speaker Mike Johnson, has publicly expressed support for the bill. House members are now urging leadership to bring the legislation to the floor for a vote.
The DEFIANCE Act, authored by the SVPA in collaboration with Congress members and survivors, establishes a civil right of action for victims of AI-generated explicit images and videos, formerly known as deepfake pornography, to seek justice against those who create, share, publish, or solicit the harmful material.
“This bill was written by survivors, for survivors,” said Omny Miranda Martone, Founder and CEO of SVPA. “For the first time, victims of deepfake sexual abuse will have a clear federal path to hold their perpetrators accountable. With Senate passage secured and House leadership signaling support, we are closer than ever to meaningful protections.”
Martone, who is a survivor of deepfake pornography, stood alongside House champions during the press conference as SVPA’s advocacy and leadership were highlighted in remarks calling for swift House passage.
The DEFIANCE Act addresses the rapid expansion of AI-general sexual violence. The current momentum is, in-part, driven by the widespread deepfake pornography and child sexual abuse material (CSAM, formerly known as child pornography) exploding on Grok. The bill’s advancement also comes amid heightened urgency following a recent executive order by the Trump administration undermining state-level AI laws, increasing the need for a strong federal remedy.
Advocates have warned that existing proposals, including the Take It Down Act, are not enough to meaningfully deter the mass production and distribution of nonconsensual intimate images (NCII). SVPA worked on the Take It Down Act, which is intended to complement the DEFIANCE Act.
Once passed, the DEFIANCE Act will help prevent digital sexual violence by empowering victims across the country to seek justice.
“As a survivor of deepfake porn, I know firsthand what it means to have your body taken from you and weaponized,” said Omny Miranda Martone. “For years, survivors like me were told there was no path to justice. The DEFIANCE Act changes that. I look forward to finally being able to hold perpetrators accountable, not just for myself, but for every survivor who has been silenced and ignored.”
