Hawley, Durbin Reintroduce Bill Combatting Online Child Sexual Abuse Material

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Wednesday, May 21, 2025
Today, U.S. Senators Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.)reintroducedtheSTOP CSAM Act. The legislation willcrack downon the proliferation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online by allowing victims to sue companies that host it. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) have cosponsored the bill.The Senatorsannouncedthe legislation’s reintroduction in February ahead of their joint hearing highlighting witnesses impacted by CSAM, including survivors, advocates, and law enforcement experts. They originally introduced the legislation last Congress and garnered the votes to unanimouslyadvanceit through the Senate Judiciary Committee.“Every day that Congress fails to protect kids online is another day that online predators can victimize children and steal their innocence—and social media companies are totally complicit,”said Senator Hawley.“To stop them, Congress must give parents and victims the right to sue these companies, and my bipartisan legislation would empower them to do just that.”“In the real world, child safety is a top priority. But in the virtual world, criminals and bullies don’t need to pick a lock or wait outside the playground to cause harm. They can harass, intimidate, addict, or sexually exploit our kids without leaving home,”said Senator Durbin.“Big Tech has woefully failed to police itself, and the American people are demanding that Congress intervene. We made significant headway last year to address Big Tech’s failure to protect our kids online and it’s time to build on that progress. I’m glad to partner with Senator Hawley to reintroduce our bill supporting victims of child sexual exploitation and increasing accountability for tech companies.”Senator Hawley has been a leading proponent of holding Big Tech accountable and protecting kids online. Last year, hequestionedMeta CEO Mark Zuckerberg about the rampant child exploitation on his social media platforms, prompting him to stand up and apologize to the families of victims in the room.Senator Hawley alsointroducedlegislation to allow any private citizen to sue Big Tech platforms for hosting CSAM. After striking a deal with Senator Durbin toadvancethe CSAM legislation, the bipartisan bill was eventuallyblockedon the Senate floor.Read the full bill texthere.
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