Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) reintroduced a invoice Wednesday that will give these depicted in nonconsensual sexually express deepfakes the facility to take civil motion towards those that make or distribute the imagery.

Ocasio-Cortez co-led the reintroduction of the invoice with Rep. Laurel Lee (R-Fla.) within the Home and Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Sick.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) within the higher chamber. The invoice is backed by one other 5 senators and 9 Home members.

The laws, titled the Disrupt Specific Cast Photographs and Non-Consensual Edits (DEFIANCE) Act, would give survivors and victims of nonconsensual deepfake pornography the “legal right to pursue justice,” Ocasio-Cortez mentioned in an announcement.

Ought to the invoice go, civil actions will be capable to be pursued towards the people who create, distribute or possess with the intent to unfold these deepfakes.

“Although the imagery may be fake, the harm to the victims is very real,” Durbin mentioned in an announcement Wednesday. “Victims have lost their jobs, their reputations, and many have suffered from life-altering depression or anxiety.”

It comes on the heels of President Trump’s signing of the Take It Down Act on Monday, which criminalizes the publication of nonconsensual deepfake imagery. The Take It Down Act additional requires web sites to take down the content material with out 48 hours and make “reasonable efforts” to take away duplicate photos.

The DEFIANCE Act goals to construct upon the progress of the Take it Down Act by specializing in civil assets to “complement” each other, Lee mentioned.

“Together, they both create both accountability and recourse,” Lee mentioned.

The invoice unanimously handed the Senate final yr however didn’t attain the Home flooring for a vote.