Exclusive: Sen. Dick Durbin moves to fast-track AI deepfakes bill
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Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) on Tuesday will call for unanimous consent to pass the bipartisan DEFIANCE Act, a bill to protect people from image-based sexual abuse online, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: Chatbots are coming under fire for producing child sexual abuse material and non-consensual intimate imagery of adults, and people are eager for legal recourse.
- Durbin's move comes in the wake of public outcry over Elon Musk's X, which hasn't been able to keep up with the images its Grok chatbot has been producing.
The DEFIANCE Act would create a federal civil right of action for people who are victims of intimate digital forgeries.
- Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) co-sponsored the bill.
- Sponsors and advocates view The DEFIANCE Act as a necessary next step to the TAKE IT DOWN Act, which will take effect in May.
- The TAKE IT DOWN Act will require social media sites to remove nonconsensual intimate imagery — including deepfakes — within 48 hours of receiving notice.
What they're saying: "The AI boom is fully underway. Leaving it unregulated puts us all at risk," Durbin, the ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee and the minority whip, said in a statement exclusively shared with Axios.
- "In just the last few weeks, nonconsensual imagery has exploded on X with Grok, claiming countless victims. It's time we send a clear message to bad actors that deepfake nudes are not victimless—and they're not tolerated in our country."
Flashback: The Senate in 2024 passed the bill by unanimous consent.
What's next: In the House, the legislation, led by Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Laurel Lee (R-Fla.), has previously moved more slowly.
- Once the Senate takes action, all eyes will turn to the lower chamber.
