Senate-Passed Bill Outlawing AI-Generated Explicit Deepfakes Moves To House
The U.S. Senate on Thursday unanimously approved the Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act, or DEFIANCE Act, a bipartisan effort to strengthen legal protections for individuals targeted by nonconsensual deepfake imagery. The bill now proceeds to the House of Representatives for consideration.
The measure would allow individuals depicted in sexually explicit deepfake images or videos — digital fabrications created without their consent — to pursue civil damages of at least $150,000 per violation against persons responsible for creating or sharing such content.
Legislators who supported the bill said existing legal frameworks are insufficient to address the growing prevalence of deepfake technology and the unique harms it causes. They noted the legislation builds on earlier federal and state laws aimed at curbing nonconsensual intimate imagery, but expands the scope and clarity of remedies available under federal civil law.
Deepfake content — synthetic media produced using artificial intelligence and machine learning — has surged in recent years, raising concerns in Washington about privacy, harassment, fraud, and national security. Lawmakers from both parties have pushed a series of proposals in recent sessions to update laws governing digital impersonation and nonconsensual imagery.
Earlier legislative efforts focused on criminal penalties for creating or distributing explicit deepfakes of public officials or election candidates, or unauthorized alterations of videos used in political context. Other bills aimed to enhance law enforcement’s ability to investigate and prosecute deepfake-related fraud and identity theft.
The DEFIANCE Act differs from those proposals by creating a federal civil right of action, enabling private individuals — not just government prosecutors — to seek monetary damages in federal court. The bill would supplement state laws that vary widely in enforcement and penalties related to deepfake and revenge-porn imagery.
Supporters have argued that civil remedies are crucial because many victims face ongoing reputational harm and emotional distress long after illicit content is published. Civil suits, proponents say, can provide both compensation and deterrence.
If the House approves the DEFIANCE Act and the president signs it into law, the new provisions would expand legal avenues for victims of nonconsensual deepfakes and related digital forgeries. Advocates for stronger protections have said the approach could serve as a model for future legislation addressing other forms of digitally manipulated content.
Opposition in the Senate was nonexistent, reflecting bipartisan agreement on the need to update legal tools in the face of rapid advances in artificial intelligence and digital media technologies.
The bill’s proponents say it represents a significant step in the federal government’s response to technology that can create convincing but fraudulent depictions of real people, often used to harass, humiliate or exploit victims.
Meanwhile, social media influencer and entrepreneur Paris Hilton joined Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in announcing a new collaborative effort this week aimed at combating the creation and distribution of AI-generated sexually explicit imagery without consent.
The initiative, unveiled Thursday, seeks to raise awareness of the growing prevalence of artificial intelligence tools that can produce realistic deepfake pornography using the likenesses of real individuals. The effort calls for legislative and technological solutions to protect potential victims and hold creators and distributors accountable.
Hilton, who has previously spoken publicly about being targeted by nonconsensual explicit content earlier in her career, said that the proliferation of AI tools “makes it easier than ever” for deceptive imagery to spread and cause harm. She urged lawmakers and technology companies to act urgently to establish safeguards.
Ocasio-Cortez, a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, emphasized the need for stronger legal frameworks that can address the unique challenges posed by AI-generated content. She noted that traditional privacy and harassment statutes may not fully encompass the nuances of AI-enabled manipulation.
The pair’s announcement follows increased attention from lawmakers and advocacy groups concerned about how advances in artificial intelligence intersect with issues of consent, privacy and online safety. AI researchers and civil liberties organizations have also called for clearer standards and potential regulatory measures to limit the misuse of image synthesis technologies.
IT'S TIME FOR A CHANGE — Nightmare Brewing for Hakeem Jeffries as He Could Be OUT After Facing Heat From Dems...
Washington, D.C. - June 3, 2026
Hakeem Jeffries Encounters Growing Reluctance from Democratic Candidates to Back His Leadership
Washington, D.C. — House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) is facing increasing resistance from Democratic candidates who are declining to commit to supporting his leadership if the party regains the House majority in November.
A significant number of viable Democratic challengers have indicated to Axios that voting for Jeffries as speaker would not be automatic. Last fall, more than 80 Democratic House candidates expressed uncertainty or outright opposition to his continued leadership. The situation has worsened in recent months.
Mai Vang, a progressive primary challenger to Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Calif.), previously offered a noncommittal response about supporting whoever her future colleagues choose. In a more recent statement, she directly criticized Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
“The Democratic Party and its leadership—Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries—have failed to mobilize meaningful opposition to Trump’s illegal war and their silence as AIPAC and corporations flood Congressional primaries with millions of dollars is deafening,” Vang said.
Claire Valdez, a New York State Assembly member running to replace retiring Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.), told Axios that supporting Jeffries would require “some conversations” first.
Other candidates have proposed alternatives. Anabel Mendoza, a progressive running in Illinois’ 7th District, said she would prefer Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) in the leadership role because she is “10 toes down on what matters.”
Some candidates noted that conversations about Jeffries’ future would likely change significantly if Democrats fail to win the House.
Jeffries is also confronting a sharply deteriorating redistricting environment. After initial Democratic optimism following a Virginia referendum victory aimed at gaining up to four seats, recent legal and political developments have turned against the party. In a worst-case scenario, Democrats could lose as many as 10 seats due to aggressive Republican redistricting and court rulings.
Florida Republicans advanced a congressional map that could eliminate up to four Democratic seats, surprising even some GOP observers. Virginia’s Supreme Court has signaled it may overturn the Democrats’ hard-won referendum win. The Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais has created new opportunities for Republicans in several Southern states.
In Tennessee, GOP lawmakers have circulated a map targeting Rep. Steve Cohen’s Memphis seat. Louisiana Republicans are positioned to reduce Democratic representation in the state. Alabama officials are seeking to lift an injunction protecting the current map. South Carolina is considering a map that would eliminate Rep. Jim Clyburn’s deeply blue seat. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves has expressed interest in challenging Rep. Bennie Thompson.
While some maps remain subject to legal challenges and Democrats hope to compete in certain districts, the overall trajectory has shifted against the party. The combination of internal leadership doubts and unfavorable redistricting has created substantial uncertainty for Jeffries and House Democrats heading into the midterms.
Iranian State TV Announces Death Of Khamenei’s Wife After US Israeli Airstrike
Iranian state television presenters announced the death of Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, the 79-year-old wife of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, after she succumbed to injuries sustained in the same US-Israeli airstrike that killed her husband at his compound in Tehran.
She died two days after Khamenei was killed, The Wall Street Journal reported. State television declared that Bagherzadeh’s “long dream of martyrdom became true” and said her death would spark “a massive uprising in the fight against oppressors.”
The announcement followed an earlier broadcast in which an anchor tearfully reported the Supreme Leader’s death. Iran declared an official 40-day mourning period and a seven-day national holiday.
According to the Daily Mail, Bagherzadeh married Khamenei in 1965. They had four sons and two daughters.
In a 2011 interview with state media, she described her role as maintaining a calm home environment so her husband could work in peace.
“I think my biggest role was to preserve a calm atmosphere in our home so that he could do his work in peace,” she said.
She also said she visited him in prison without burdening him with family problems and “would only give him good news.”
She acknowledged distributing pamphlets, carrying messages, and hiding documents during the revolutionary period but described those efforts as “not worth mentioning.”
Her death comes amid escalating military exchanges between Iran and US-Israeli forces.
The Iranian Red Crescent Society said at least 555 people have been killed across Iran in the campaign, with more than 130 cities coming under attack.
Iran’s ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Reza Najafi, condemned the strikes as “unlawful, criminal and brutal” and alleged that the Natanz nuclear enrichment site was targeted.
“Their justification that Iran wants to develop nuclear weapons is simply a big lie,” Najafi told journalists.
Ali Larijani, a senior Iranian security official, wrote on X that “we will not negotiate with the United States.”
Iran is believed to have launched multiple retaliatory attacks across the region.
An attack reportedly struck the American embassy compound in Kuwait City, though there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. Kuwaiti air defenses mistakenly shot down three American F 15E Strike Eagles.
US Central Command confirmed that all six aircrew ejected safely, were recovered, and are in stable condition.
A pro-Iranian militia in Iraq launched attacks targeting Irbil and a British base in Cyprus. Officials in Oman said a drone boat struck an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman near Muscat, killing one mariner.
Saudi Aramco temporarily shut down its Ras Tanura oil refinery near Dammam after Iranian drones targeted it.
Saudi state television described the shutdown as “a precautionary one.”
Officials reported 11 people killed in Israel and 31 in Lebanon during the exchanges.
Iran’s combat fleet was engaged in the conflict for the first time.
Iranian officials have framed Bagherzadeh’s death as an act of martyrdom as the country enters a prolonged mourning period.
The conflict continues to evolve as regional tensions remain high.
A senior White House official stated on Sunday that Iran’s “new potential leadership” has indicated a willingness to engage in talks with the United States. This announcement follows a significant military operation by American and Israeli forces, which resulted in the deaths of Iran’s supreme leader and several high-ranking officials, according to Fox News.
The official, who requested anonymity to discuss internal administration matters, mentioned that President Donald Trump is “eventually” open to negotiations, but for the time being, the military operation “continues unabated.” The official did not specify who the potential new leaders of Iran are or how they expressed their willingness to negotiate.
Trump told The Atlantic on Sunday that he planned to speak with Iran’s new leadership.
“They want to talk, and I have agreed to talk, so I will be talking to them,” he said, declining comment on the timing.
