Dec. 9 (UPI) — A trio of bipartisan Senate measures would help to protect children against online predators through enhanced punishments via three proposed acts.
Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Dick Durbin, D-Ill., introduced the bipartisan, three-bill package on Tuesday ahead of a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on child safety.
“Changes in technology have created new opportunities for criminals to harass, exploit, intimidate and harm American children,” said Grassley, who chairs the Judiciary Committee.
“These horrific crimes — often committed by violent online groups who take advantage of our nation’s outdated laws — have gone unchecked for far too long,” Grassley continued. “Congress must stand up for American families and finally address the online rot that is hurting children nationwide.”
He said the proposed measures would “protect children from online abuse, hold dangerous criminals accountable and secure much-needed justice for victims and their families.”
The proposed SAFE Act would enact new sentencing guidelines for those convicted of producing child sex-abuse materials and defines children as anyone younger than the age 18.
The new sentencing guidelines would consider whether offenders participate in online groups dedicated to child sex-abuse materials, how long offenders are involved in such activities and if they used software or other technology to conceal their identities.
The SAFE Act also would assess offenders’ use of multiple online platforms and the number of victims harmed by the child sex-abuse materials.
If enacted, the ECCHO Act would be the first federal law to punish those who coerce children into physically harming themselves, others or animals by sentencing them to up to life in prison if a child commits suicide or causes the death of another person.
A 30-year maximum penalty would be imposed for violations that do not cause death, such as coercing a child to commit self-harm or engage in online or in-person sexual acts, animal cruelty, random violence, suicide and murder.
The Stop Sextortion Act would punish offenders who threaten to distribute child sex-abuse materials to extort or coerce children into paying a ransom to prevent the release of shared sexual materials or cause harm to themselves or others.
“Because of modern technology, child predators from anywhere in the world can target American kids online,” said Durbin, who is the Judiciary Committee’s ranking member.
“As technology has evolved, so have online child exploiters,” Durbin explained. “Today, offenders are engaging in sadistic online exploitation and coercing kids to take their own lives.”
He said “Big Tech” refuses to protect children by “incorporating safety-by-design measures into their platforms or make meaningful efforts to detect the increasingly violent and depraved sexual exploitation of children on their services.”
The three proposed bills are “aimed at curbing these horrific crimes online,” Durbin said. “Congress has spent enough time investigating tech platforms’ failures. It’s now time that we deliver for the American people.”
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