Senate OKs Bill Allowing Victims Of Sexually Explicit Deepfakes To Sue

Senate OKs Bill Allowing Victims of Sexually Explicit Deepfakes to Sue

Last updated: 2026/01/15 at 3:03 AM

News Room Published 15 January 2026

The US Senate has passed a bill that allows victims of non-consensual deepfake imagery to sue its creators and recover up to $250,000 in damages.

The Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits (DEFIANCE) Act, sponsored by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), allows victims to bring civil charges against people who knowingly create and distribute non-consensual nudity.

The Senate passed an earlier version of the bill in 2024, but it got stalled in the House. The second version comes as governments worldwide are scrutinizing the Grok chatbot for letting X users publicly request bikini images of other users, including minors. X has turned off Grok’s image generation for non-paying users, and says it will ban accounts and take legal action against those involved in creating child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

“Imagine losing control over your own likeness and identity,” Durbin said on the Senate floor. “The consequences can be profound. Victims may endure threats to their employment, education, or reputation, or suffer additional criminal activity such as extortion and stalking. Give to the victims their day in court to hold those responsible who continue to publish these images at their expense.”

Last year, President Trump signed a similar bill, called the Take It Down Act, which requires social media platforms to remove the material within 48 hours of receiving notice.