Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Children from Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation
Introduction
Bipartisan legislation passed the U.S. Senate in December & now heads to the President’s desk to become law
Sen. Ossoff’s bipartisan bill with Sen. Blackburn would toughen penalties on websites and social media companies that fail to report crimes against children
Background
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff’s bipartisan bill to protect children from online sexual abuse and exploitation passed the U.S. House today and now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law.
Sens. Ossoff and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)’s bipartisan REPORT Act would strengthen the national tipline run by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) to collect reports of online exploitation and would require evidence to be preserved for a longer period, giving law enforcement more time to investigate and prosecute crimes.
The bill would require websites and social media platforms to report crimes involving Federal trafficking and enticement of children, which they are not currently required to do. The legislation would also increase fines for companies that knowingly and willfully fail to report child sex abuse material on their site.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
- Goal 5: Gender Equality
- Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities
Impact
The bipartisan bill passed the U.S. Senate in December.
“My bipartisan bill with Senator Blackburn will ensure tech companies are held accountable to report and remove child sex abuse material and to strengthen protection for kids online,” Sen. Ossoff said. “At a time of such division in Congress, we are bringing Republicans and Democrats together to protect kids on the internet.”
“I am pleased that my bipartisan REPORT Act has passed the House and is heading to the President’s desk to be signed into law. Children are increasingly looking at screens, and the reality is that the internet and social media leaves more innocent kids at risk of online exploitation. Under this new law, big tech companies will now be required to report when children are being trafficked, groomed or enticed by predators,” Senator Blackburn said.
Supporting Representatives
- Reps. Laurel Lee (R-FL-13)
- Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA-01)
- Madeleine Dean (D-PA-04)
- Susie Lee (D-NV-03)
introduced the companion bipartisan bill in the U.S. House, which was cosponsored by Reps. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL-13), Barry Moore (R-AL-02), Bill Posey (R-FL-08), Russell Fry (R-SC-07), Carlos A. Gimenez (R-FL-28), Lucy McBath (D-GA-07), Glenn Ivey (D-MD-04), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX-18), and Henry C. “Hank” Johnson (D-GA-04).
Statistics
According to NCMEC, the tipline received over 36 million reports last year.
Sen. Ossoff has heard from child welfare experts and local leaders across the state about this growing concern, who have noted that online child sexual abuse continues to run rampant but remains underreported in Georgia.
In a December 2023 U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Sen. Ossoff pressed FBI Director Christopher Wray to address sextortion schemes targeting children online amidst a reported 700% increase in their frequency since 2021 in Georgia.
Last September, Sens. Ossoff and Blackburn launched an inquiry with Attorney General Merrick Garland about the FBI’s capacity to investigate and respond to crimes involving child sexual abuse and exploitation, highlighting a June 2023 report to Congress in which the DOJ cited an international threat assessment demonstrating that “the growth in online child sexual exploitation is outpacing our ability to respond.”
Previous Legislation
In January, Sens. Ossoff and Chuck Grassley (R-IA)’s bipartisan Preventing Child Sex Abuse Act of 2023 was signed into law to strengthen Federal protections against the sexual
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators in the Article
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
- SDG 5: Gender Equality
The article addresses issues related to protecting children from online sexual abuse and exploitation, which aligns with SDG 16’s target of ending abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against children. It also highlights the need to hold tech companies accountable for reporting and removing child sex abuse material, which relates to SDG 5’s target of eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against children
- Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls
The article emphasizes the need to strengthen the tipline for reporting online exploitation, preserve evidence for longer periods to aid law enforcement investigations, and increase fines for companies that fail to report child sex abuse material. These actions contribute to achieving Target 16.2 of ending abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against children. Additionally, by requiring tech companies to report instances of child trafficking, grooming, and enticement, the article supports Target 5.2 of eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
- Number of reports received by the tipline run by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)
- Number of websites and social media platforms reporting crimes involving Federal trafficking and enticement of children
- Amount of fines imposed on companies that fail to report child sex abuse material
The article mentions that the tipline received over 36 million reports last year, indicating the volume of reported cases and potential progress in addressing online exploitation. The requirement for websites and social media platforms to report crimes involving child trafficking and enticement would result in an increase in the number of reports, serving as an indicator of progress. Additionally, the legislation aims to increase fines for companies that knowingly and willfully fail to report child sex abuse material, suggesting that the amount of fines imposed could be used as an indicator of compliance and progress.
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions | Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against children |
|
| SDG 5: Gender Equality | Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls |
|
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Fuente: ossoff.senate.gov
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