Grassley, Colleagues Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Combat Online Child Sex Abuse Material

WASHINGTON– Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) in reintroducing theSTOP CSAM Act. The bipartisan bill would crack down on child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online by promoting transparency in the tech industry, while empowering victims to seek justice against culpable platforms.
“Too many precious young lives have been lost and destroyed by online sexual exploitation and abuse. Tech companies that turn a blind eye to online child sex abuse are complicit in the harm that follows,”Grassley said. “The bipartisanSTOP CSAM Actwould hold Big Tech accountable and secure much needed justice for victims and their families.”
“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,”Hawley said. “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,”Durbin said. “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.”
Grassley, Hawley and Durbin are joined by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.).
Read the full bill textHERE.
Background:
Earlier this Congress, Grassleychaireda Judiciary Committeehearingto examine children’s safety online, including current protections and legal gaps.
Last Congress, theSTOP CSAM Actwasreported outof the Judiciary Committee with unanimous bipartisan support, but was eventually blocked by Democrats on the Senate floor.
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