Paris Hilton Reclaims Narrative: 2004 Video Leak Called 'Abuse' in DEFIANCE Act Speech

"It wasn't a scandal. It was abuse." With those powerful words, Paris Hilton stepped onto Capitol Hill on January 22, 2026, to transform her past trauma into a legislative shield for future generations. The entrepreneur and survivor joined lawmakers to endorse a critical bill targeting the rise of AI-generated digital violence.

Paris Hilton DEFIANCE Act Speech: A Stand Against Digital Exploitation

According to Bloomberg, Hilton appeared alongside Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Laurel Lee to advocate for the DEFIANCE Act. This legislation, formally known as the Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act, aims to give victims of non-consensual AI-generated explicit content the right to sue creators and distributors.

Now 44 years old, Hilton reflected on the 2004 leak of an intimate video filmed when she was just 19. She described the cruelty of the early internet era, where she was treated as a punchline rather than a victim. "They sold my pain for clicks," she stated, highlighting the lack of legal protections that existed two decades ago.

The Legislative Path Toward Digital Safety

While Hilton noted she never profited from the original video—even donating her $400,000 legal settlement to charity—she emphasized that most victims don't have her platform. The DEFIANCE Act is seen as a necessary response to the "cruelty" that has only intensified with the advent of generative AI.