LOS ANGELES – Renowned American businesswoman and media personality Paris Hilton has once again addressed the traumatic leak of her private video at age 19, reframing the narrative from a “celebrity scandal” to a case of “non-consensual exploitation.” Speaking at a high-profile press conference alongside Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Hilton became visibly emotional while discussing the urgent need for legislation against deepfakes and non-consensual AI-generated content.
Paris Hilton clarified that the video, filmed in 2001 with then-boyfriend Rick Salomon, was released without her consent. She asserted that while the world labeled it a “scandal,” it was actually a profound violation of her privacy. She further stated that at the time, there were no laws to protect her, and there weren’t even words for the injustice she was experiencing, reflecting on the vacuum of digital privacy laws in the early 2000s.
The entrepreneur revealed that the leak led to years of public humiliation, fear, and mockery, noting that her personal pain was exploited by the media for news and clicks. In a staggering revelation, Hilton shared that there are currently over 100,000 AI-generated fake explicit images of her circulating online, highlighting that the cycle of exploitation continues in the digital age.
In her book, Paris: The Memoir, Hilton previously claimed she felt pressured into filming the video and was repeatedly assured it would never be made public. She emphasized that the incident didn’t just damage her reputation—it stripped her of her autonomy and self-confidence for years. Through her advocacy, Hilton aims to ensure that future generations are protected by modern laws that hold perpetrators of digital abuse accountable.
