In a rare show of bipartisan unity, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stood shoulder to shoulder with celebrity advocate Paris Hilton on Capitol Hill to push once again for legislation aimed at curbing the spread of nonconsensual AI-generated photos and videos.
The press conference also featured Ocasio-Cortez’s Republican co-sponsor, Rep. Laurel Lee, underscoring the unusual coalition behind the DEFIANCE Act. The bill would create a civil cause of action for individuals targeted by deepfake pornography created without their consent.
“Since the public release of AI tools, we have seen an absolute explosion in AI-generated images used to sexually harass victims and children,” Ocasio-Cortez said, noting that the overwhelming majority of AI deepfakes circulating online are nonconsensual sexual images.
She emphasized that the push is personal as well as political. “I as well as many others here have spoken about our experience being targeted by AI deepfake pornography,” she said. “This is not just a coalition of legislators. This is a coalition of survivors.”
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham speaks Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, at Poinsett Club in Greenville, South Carolina.
The DEFIANCE Act has already cleared the Senate this month by unanimous consent, led by Sen. Richard Durbin and Sen. Lindsey Graham, and has the backing of House Speaker Mike Johnson. Still, the legislation has stumbled before, passing the Senate in 2024 only to stall at the end of the previous Congress due to time constraints.
Hilton, who has become an increasingly vocal advocate on the issue, drew a direct line between today’s AI-generated abuse and the infamous leak of a sex tape when she was 19 years old. “People called it a scandal,” she said. “It wasn’t. It was abuse. There were no laws at the time to protect me.”
Jun 26, 2024; Washington, D.C., USA; Paris Hilton testifies on Wednesday to a U.S. House Ways & Means Committee hearing on the abuse of youth in residential treatment facilities on June 26, 2024 in Washington, D.C.. Mandatory Credit: Eric Kayne-USA TODAY
She warned that the threat has only grown more severe. “Before, someone had to betray your trust and steal something real,” Hilton said. “Now, all it takes is a computer and a stranger’s imagination.” Hilton told reporters that more than 100,000 deepfake images of her are currently circulating online.
The event brought together advocates and lawmakers from across the ideological spectrum, including Reps. Anna Paulina Luna, Claudia Tenney, and Nancy Mace. Luna noted that pushing uncomfortable issues within one’s own party is part of the job, praising Ocasio-Cortez for doing just that.
Despite the broad coalition, tensions inside the House were never far from the surface. Mace, a leading anti-trans voice in Congress, recently posted a video attacking Rep. Sarah McBride, the first openly transgender member of Congress, reigniting culture-war battles that stand in sharp contrast to the day’s message of unity.
Ocasio-Cortez, for her part, downplayed any personal ownership of the bill. “I don’t think it’s about individual credit,” she said. “Bipartisanship has been tremendously important, especially with Republicans holding the majority.”
