PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Congressional Research Service
Version 55 · Passed Senate · Jul 23, 2024
Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act of 2024 or the DEFIANCE Act of 2024
This bill establishes a civil cause of action for individuals who are the subject of nonconsensual digital forgeries (commonly known as deepfakes) depicting intimate activity or nudity.
Under the bill, digital forgery is any intimate visual depiction of an identifiable individual created through the use of software, machine learning, artificial intelligence, or any other computer-generated or technological means that is indistinguishable from an authentic visual depiction of the individual.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Specifically, an identifiable individual who is the subject of a digital forgery may bring a civil action against any person who knowingly produces, distributes, solicits, or possesses with the intent to distribute a digital forgery without the individual's consent.
Current law provides civil remedies, including damages and injunctive relief, for the nonconsensual disclosure of intimate images. This bill makes all relief available for the new cause of action for nonconsensual digital forgeries and expands the relief available for both causes of action. For example, an identifiable individual may recover profits of the defendant that are attributable to the conduct at issue in the claim as part of actual damages.
The bill also establishes a 10-year statute of limitations, but tolls the running of the statute of limitations until the individual learns about the violation or the individual turns 18, whichever occurs later. This applies to both current law related to nonconsensual disclosure of intimate images and the new cause of action for nonconsensual digital forgeries.
People & committees
Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL] · D–IL
Legislative record
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Held at the desk.
Received in the House.
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote. (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S5317-5318)
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S5318-5319)
Senate Committee on the Judiciary discharged by Unanimous Consent.
Senate Committee on the Judiciary discharged by Unanimous Consent.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 10, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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