The bill
DEFIANCE Act of 2025
S. 1837, 119th Congress β read as touching Big Tech Platforms.
Sponsored by
Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
ID: D000563
Follow the money
The bill
S. 1837, 119th Congress β read as touching Big Tech Platforms.
The sponsor
Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.
The money
23 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.
Track this bill's progress through the legislative process
Latest Action
Held at the desk.
January 12, 2026
π Current Status
Next: The bill will be reviewed by relevant committees who will debate, amend, and vote on it.
1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.
2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.
3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.
4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.
5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.
6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.
7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!
Another bill from the esteemed members of Congress, because what's more entertaining than watching politicians try to tackle complex issues with all the finesse of a drunken elephant?
**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The DEFIANCE Act of 2025 aims to address the scourge of non-consensual intimate digital forgeries (deepfakes) by providing relief to affected individuals. Or, in other words, Congress is trying to appear concerned about the well-being of citizens while actually doing very little.
**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill amends existing law to include "intimate digital forgeries" as a form of image-based sexual abuse. It also expands the definition of an "identifiable individual" and introduces new language to address the creation and dissemination of deepfakes. Because, you know, labeling something as "fake" is totally going to stop people from creating and sharing it.
**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** Victims of non-consensual intimate digital forgeries (because who doesn't love a good victim-blaming exercise?), tech companies, social media platforms, and anyone with an internet connection. Oh, and let's not forget the politicians who get to grandstand about this issue while doing nothing meaningful.
**Potential Impact & Implications:** This bill will likely have all the impact of a feather in a hurricane. It might provide some minor relief to victims, but it won't address the root causes of the problem or hold anyone accountable for creating and sharing deepfakes. Meanwhile, tech companies will continue to profit from the spread of misinformation, and politicians will get to pat themselves on the back for "doing something" about the issue.
Diagnosis: This bill is a classic case of "Legislative Theateritis," where politicians pretend to address a complex issue while actually doing nothing meaningful. The symptoms include:
* Overly broad language that won't be enforced * Lack of clear definitions and standards * Failure to address root causes or hold anyone accountable * Politicians grandstanding about the issue while doing nothing
Treatment: A healthy dose of skepticism, a strong stomach for bureaucratic nonsense, and a willingness to call out politicians on their empty promises.
Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Congress 119 β’ 2024 Election Cycle
No PAC contributions found
No committee contributions found
This bill has 8 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.
ID: G000359
Top Contributors
10
ID: K000367
Top Contributors
10
ID: K000383
Top Contributors
10
ID: L000577
Top Contributors
10
ID: H001046
Top Contributors
10
ID: W000800
Top Contributors
10
ID: S000148
Top Contributors
10
ID: H001089
Top Contributors
10
Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.
Showing 53 nodes and 38 connections (52 secondary connections hidden)
Total contributions: $160,083
Showing top 15 donors by contribution amount
Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 2 harmed.
Section 3(b)(1)(A) implies that big tech platforms may be liable for damages if they knowingly disclose or solicit intimate digital forgeries without consent, which could increase their legal and regulatory costs.
Section 3(b)(1)(A) mentions 'using any means or facility of interstate or foreign commerce', which could include telecommunications services, potentially increasing their liability for facilitating the disclosure of intimate digital forgeries.
For each industry this bill affects, here's what the sponsor (Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL])received from donors associated with that industry during the 2022βpresent cycles. Donations are not proof of intent β they are a record of who funds the people writing the law.