Paris Hilton says leaked sex video at 19 was 'abuse’, not a scandal

Paris Hilton revisited one of the most painful moments of her life while speaking publicly about the non-consensual release of an intimate video that followed her for years. Addressing lawmakers, Hilton said the incident was widely mischaracterised at the time, stating, “When I was 19 years old, a private, intimate video of me was shared with the world without my consent. People called it a scandal. It wasn’t. It was abuse.”

The media personality described how the leak left her feeling humiliated and powerless, while her pain was turned into public entertainment. “They sold my pain for clicks, and then they told me to be quiet, to move on, to even be grateful for the attention,” she said. Hilton added that few people recognised the emotional toll it took on her, explaining, “They didn’t see the panic I felt, the humiliation or the shame.”

Hilton also warned that the rise of artificial intelligence and deepfake technology has made the problem even more widespread. “I believed that the worst was behind me, but it wasn’t,” she said, noting that today, explicit images can be created without any real footage at all. “Before, someone had to betray your trust and steal something real. Now all it takes is a computer and a stranger’s imagination.”

Now a wife, mother and outspoken advocate, Hilton said she is determined to help protect others from experiencing similar harm. “I am Paris Hilton — a woman, a wife, a mom, a survivor,” she told lawmakers, urging action to ensure victims have legal protection and are no longer blamed for abuse inflicted upon them.