CONSENT Act
Summary
The CONSENT Act (HR9155) is an early-stage bill creating a private right of action against senders of unsolicited intimate visual depictions, including deepfakes. It has no direct funding and is referred to committee, so near-term market impact is minimal. Social media platforms face modest compliance cost increases.
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Key Takeaways
- 1.HR9155 is in early legislative stages with low probability of near-term passage.
- 2.No direct funding or spending authorized; impact is limited to increased compliance costs for social media platforms.
- 3.The bill targets senders, not platforms, reducing direct corporate liability exposure.
Market Implications
The CONSENT Act is a low-impact, early-stage bill with no funding mechanism. Social media companies like META, GOOGL, and SNAP face modest compliance cost increases if the bill advances, but the current legislative status (referred to committee, single sponsor) suggests negligible near-term market effect. No sector-wide shifts are expected.
Full Analysis
On June 4, 2026, Rep. McClellan (D-VA) introduced HR9155, the CONSENT Act, which was referred to the House Judiciary Committee. The bill establishes a federal private right of action allowing recipients of unsolicited intimate visual depictions (including AI-generated deepfakes) to sue the sender for damages. It does not appropriate any funds or create a government program—it creates a new legal liability for individuals and entities that knowingly transmit such images without consent.
The money trail is indirect: the bill imposes no direct costs on the federal budget but creates potential litigation costs for senders and compliance costs for platforms that facilitate user-to-user image transmission. Social media companies like META (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp), GOOGL (Gmail, Google Messages), and SNAP (Snapchat) may need to invest in content moderation and AI detection tools to reduce the risk of their platforms being used for prohibited transmissions. However, the bill explicitly targets senders, not platforms, so platform liability is secondary.
Structural winners are limited—no sector benefits directly. Losers are senders of unsolicited intimate images, but this is not a publicly traded company category. The bill's early stage (referred to committee, single cosponsor) means passage is uncertain and likely distant. No real market data is provided, so no price trends are analyzed.
The legislative path requires committee markup, House floor vote, Senate passage, and presidential signature—a multi-year process. Given the 119th Congress ends in January 2027, this bill is unlikely to advance significantly in the current session.
Intelligence Surface
Cross-referenced against federal contracts, SEC insider filings & congressional trade disclosures
No confirming evidence found yet from contracts, insider trades, or congressional activity
What the bill does
Same as above: private right of action against senders of unsolicited intimate visual depictions.
Who must act
Snapchat's ephemeral messaging platform, which is a common vector for sharing intimate images.
What happens
Increased legal and moderation costs as Snapchat must ensure compliance and reduce sender liability risks.
Stock impact
Snapchat's core feature is image-based messaging, making it highly exposed to the bill's provisions. The company may need to enhance automated detection of unsolicited intimate images, increasing operating expenses.
Key Legislators
Connected Signals
Matched on shared policy language across AI analyses, with ticker & timing weight
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No Fentanyl on Social Media Act
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Related Presidential Actions
Executive orders & memoranda affecting the same sectors or companies
Securing America’s Defense Supply Chains and Ensuring Domestic Acquisition of Critical Materials
This executive order restricts waivers for foreign-sourced critical materials in defense contracts, effective January 1, 2027, and mandates that defense contractors map their supply chains from raw materials to end products, vet subcontractors for risks, and prohibit covered materials from unreliable foreign suppliers. It directs the Secretary of War to enforce strict compliance, including requiring mitigation plans for any non-compliant materials and establishing penalties for fraud or willful noncompliance.
Securing the Nation Against Advanced Cryptographic Attacks
This executive order mandates a nationwide transition of federal information systems and critical infrastructure to post-quantum cryptography (PQC) by specific deadlines (2030 for key establishment, 2031 for digital signatures), directs NIST to lead technical guidance and a pilot project, requires agencies to appoint PQC migration leads, and orders the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council to propose rules requiring contractors to comply with NIST PQC standards by 2030.
National Security Presidential Memorandum/NSPM-12
This memorandum rescinds previous national security directives and re-establishes the Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS) to enforce baseline cybersecurity standards across all National Security Systems (NSS) operated by the Department of War, Intelligence Community, and Federal Civilian Executive Branch agencies. It creates binding directives and complementary standards that must meet or exceed NIST guidelines, empowers the NSA Director as the National Manager to issue emergency directives and cryptography requirements, and holds agency heads accountable through government-wide oversight.
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