Paris Hilton traveled to Washington, D.C., on Thursday to publicly oppose the increasing prevalence of artificial-intelligence-generated deepfakes, more than two decades after the unauthorized release of a private video involving her in 2004.
The 44-year-old media personality appeared on Capitol Hill in support of the proposed DEFIANCE Act, joining federal lawmakers, advocates, and other survivors, including Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Laurel Lee (R-Fla.). The bipartisan legislation seeks to provide victims of AI-generated deepfakes with a civil cause of action against individuals who create, distribute, or solicit non-consensual content.
During a press conference, Hilton addressed her own experience with online sexual exploitation, recalling the profound personal and professional harm she suffered following the leak of a private video filmed in 2001, when she was 19 years old. The footage was later released without her consent by a former partner in 2004.
Hilton emphasized that the incident, which was widely characterized at the time as a “scandal,” constituted abuse, stating that she was subjected to public ridicule, humiliation, and exploitation, while being pressured to remain silent and dismiss the harm caused.
She further framed the issue as one of power and control, asserting that the misuse of an individual’s likeness—whether through past media or modern AI technologies—serves to degrade, silence, and deprive victims of their dignity.
Additional testimony in support of the legislation was provided by other survivors, including reality television personality Angie Katsanevas, who appeared before Congress as an invited witness on the same day.
The DEFIANCE Act follows the enactment of the TAKE IT DOWN Act in the prior year, which criminalized the publication of non-consensual, sexually explicit deepfakes and imposed obligations on online platforms to remove such material, including child sexual abuse material, within 48 hours of victim notification. Unlike existing law, the proposed DEFIANCE Act would expand legal remedies by directly addressing the creation and dissemination of such content and granting victims the right to pursue civil damages.
In explaining the legislation’s intent, lawmakers noted that while existing statutes focus on removal, the proposed bill aims to provide accountability, restitution, and meaningful legal recourse.
Hilton has consistently described the unauthorized release of the video as one of the most traumatic experiences of her life, previously stating that she felt pressured into its creation as a teenager and never anticipated it would become public. By sharing her experience and advocating for legislative reform, she stated that her objective is to prevent similar violations from occurring to others in the future.#newsafro_
