Bree Smith’s Testimony Sparks New Law to Fight Sextortion and Deepfakes in Tennessee

By Mike Sparks

Congratulations to Bree Smith for bravely sharing her personal testimony, which has helped pave the way for vital new legislation aimed at protecting others from the trauma of sextortion and deepfake abuse.

“Discovering these imposter accounts and seeing the degrading fake images and videos was devastating to me,” Bree testified before a Tennessee General Assembly House committee.

Thanks in part to her powerful voice, the Preventing Deep Fake Images Act passed the Tennessee House without opposition on April 21, just one week after it cleared the Senate with a unanimous 32-0 vote.

Bree later shared a powerful message on social media:

“Wrongs can be made right. Pain can be transformed into purpose. Our voices and our stories have power—and when we use them well, we can change the world.”

What Is Sextortion?

Sextortion is a serious form of online exploitation in which perpetrators threaten to release a person’s private, sensitive, or explicit images or information unless the victim complies with their demands—typically by sending more sexual content, paying money, or following coercive instructions.

The two main types of sextortion include:

1. Financial Sextortion – Often targeting teens and young adults, especially boys. Scammers pretend to be someone attractive, lure victims into sharing explicit material, then demand payment to keep the content private.

2. Emotional/Coercive Sextortion – Usually involves someone known to the victim, such as an ex-partner or online acquaintance. The abuser uses threats to manipulate, shame, or control the individual.

This form of exploitation can lead to severe emotional trauma—and in tragic cases, suicide. Victims are strongly urged not to comply with the perpetrator’s demands, not to pay, and to report the crime immediately to law enforcement.

Thank you to House Leader William Lamberth, Chairman Clay Doggett, and all others involved in the passage of House Bill 1299. Your leadership is helping ensure Tennessee remains at the forefront of protecting its citizens from digital abuse and exploitation.