DEFIANCE Act of 2025
Summary, written by a model from the CRS summary
The DEFIANCE Act expands civil remedies for nonconsensual distribution of intimate images and creates a new federal civil action for 'intimate digital forgeries' — deepfakes made with machine learning, AI, or other software that look authentic. Victims can recover punitive damages and the defendant's profits, with a 10-year statute of limitations.
Model-rated AI relevance 90%: It creates legal liability specifically targeting AI-generated synthetic intimate imagery. (claude-opus-5, Sep 9, 2026)
Sponsored by
Richard DurbinDemocratILData as of: bills Sep 9, 2026 · votes Sep 11, 2026 · statements Sep 9, 2026. What changed
Progress
Introduced
May 21, 2025
Reported by committee
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Passed House
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Passed Senate
Jan 13, 2026
Became law
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Latest action · January 13, 2026
Held at the desk.
What members said
Releases that cite this bill first, then releases on the same topics.
Burlison would bar federal funds for AI-augmented license plate readers and biometric surveillance cameras to protect Fourth Amendment privacy rights.
Source ↗Hawley is investigating AI surveillance camera companies, arguing Congress never authorized these invasive AI-driven networks and that corporate self-policing is an inadequate safeguard.
Source ↗Foster would restore NCUA and FHFA authority over third-party tech vendors because AI makes cyberattacks on the financial system more sophisticated.
Source ↗Massie would bar federal funds for AI-augmented license plate readers and biometric surveillance cameras to stop a government surveillance state.
Source ↗Barrett's bipartisan Doctors Not AI Act would bar AI from making medical-necessity insurance denials and require disclosure of AI use.
Source ↗Landsman's Doctors Not AI Act would keep licensed clinicians, not algorithms, in charge of medical-necessity decisions with transparency for patients.
Source ↗Schrier's Doctors Not AI Act would require doctors rather than AI systems to make health coverage decisions, with oversight and disclosure.
Source ↗Jacobs introduces bipartisan legislation creating a DoD-wide AI incident and vulnerability reporting program to make military AI safer and more accountable.
Source ↗Bill data read 2026-09-09T02:09:45.522Z