H.R. 3562: DEFIANCE Act of 2025 · WHAT THE LAW DOIN

What it does

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Disrupt Explicit Forged Images And Non-Consensual Edits Act of 2025 or the DEFIANCE Act of 2025

This bill expands civil remedies for the nonconsensual disclosure of intimate images (i.e., nonconsensual pornography). The bill also establishes a new federal civil action for nonconsensual conduct involving intimate digital forgeries (i.e., deepfakes). The term intimate digital forgery means any intimate visual depiction of an identifiable individual created using software, machine learning, artificial intelligence, or other computer-generated or technological means that looks authentic.

With respect to the nonconsensual disclosure of intimate images, current law allows an identifiable individual to recover civil remedies, including litigation costs, damages, and injunctive relief. This bill increases the available damages by allowing the individual to recover punitive damages and by including, as part of actual damages, profits of the defendant that are attributable to the conduct at issue.

The bill also allows an identifiable individual who is the subject of an intimate digital forgery to file a federal civil action against anyone who knowingly discloses, produces or possesses with intent to disclose, or solicits and receives the intimate digital forgery without the individual's consent. Under the bill, the identifiable individual may recover the same expanded civil remedies that are available for the nonconsensual disclosure of intimate images.

Finally, the bill establishes a 10-year statute of limitations for filing civil actions involving nonconsensual intimate digital forgeries or nonconsensual disclosure of intimate images. The statute begins to run when the individual discovers the violation or turns 18, whichever is later.

Official summary by the Congressional Research Service (Introduced in House, May 21, 2025).

Our plain-language breakdown, with what it means for you and the case for and against, is written once a bill starts to move.

What has happened

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2025-05-21Introduced in HouseLibrary of Congress

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Cosponsors

Rep. Yassamin Ansari D-AZ-3
Rep. Jake Auchincloss D-MA-4
Rep. James R. Baird R-IN-4
Rep. Becca Balint D-VT-At Large
Rep. Mike Bost R-IL-12
Rep. Robert P. Bresnahan R-PA-8
Rep. Vern Buchanan R-FL-16
Rep. Kat Cammack R-FL-3
Rep. Mike Carey R-OH-15
Rep. J. Luis Correa D-CA-46
Rep. Jim Costa D-CA-21
Rep. Jasmine Crockett D-TX-30
Rep. Donald G. Davis D-NC-1
Rep. Monica De La Cruz R-TX-15
Rep. Madeleine Dean D-PA-4
Rep. Suzan K. DelBene D-WA-1
Rep. Christopher R. Deluzio D-PA-17
Rep. Debbie Dingell D-MI-6
Rep. Chuck Edwards R-NC-11
Rep. Dwight Evans D-PA-3
Rep. Brian K. Fitzpatrick R-PA-1
Rep. Valerie P. Foushee D-NC-4
Rep. Clay Fuller R-GA-14
Rep. Andrew R. Garbarino R-NY-2
Rep. Lance Gooden R-TX-5
Rep. Josh Gottheimer D-NJ-5
Rep. Adelita S. Grijalva D-AZ-7
Rep. Josh Harder D-CA-9
Rep. Erin Houchin R-IN-9
Rep. David P. Joyce R-OH-14
Rep. Thomas H. Kean R-NJ-7
Rep. Ro Khanna D-CA-17
Rep. Nick LaLota R-NY-1
Rep. Greg Landsman D-OH-1
Rep. Michael Lawler R-NY-17
Rep. Laurel M. Lee R-FL-15
Rep. Julia Letlow R-LA-5
Rep. Ted Lieu D-CA-36
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna R-FL-13
Rep. Nancy Mace R-SC-1
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis R-NY-11
Rep. Sarah McBride D-DE-At Large
Rep. Morgan McGarvey D-KY-3
Rep. Grace Meng D-NY-6
Rep. Max L. Miller R-OH-7
Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks R-IA-1
Rep. Blake D. Moore R-UT-1
Rep. Nathaniel Moran R-TX-1
Rep. Jared Moskowitz D-FL-23
Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton D-DC-At Large
Rep. Ilhan Omar D-MN-5
Rep. Jimmy Panetta D-CA-20
Rep. Brittany Pettersen D-CO-7
Rep. Jamie Raskin D-MD-8
Rep. Deborah K. Ross D-NC-2
Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar R-FL-27
Rep. W. Gregory Steube R-FL-17
Rep. Thomas R. Suozzi D-NY-3
Rep. Claudia Tenney R-NY-24
Rep. William R. Timmons R-SC-4
Rep. Dina Titus D-NV-1
Rep. Rashida Tlaib D-MI-12
Rep. Michael R. Turner R-OH-10
Rep. Jefferson Van Drew R-NJ-2
Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez D-NY-7
Rep. Ann Wagner R-MO-2
Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman D-NJ-12