WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Burgess Owens (UT-04) co-sponsored the bipartisan and bicameral Eliminating Abusive and Rampant Neglect of Interactive Technologies (EARN IT) Act. This legislation will allow victims of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to hold online platforms accountable in both state and federal court for distributing images and videos of child sexual abuse. The bill will provide state prosecutors the ability to enforce their child sexual abuse laws. Additionally, the law will enhance reporting to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) Tipline and modernize language to ensure these crimes are referred to as child sexual abuse, rather than child pornography.
“The circulation and distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Materials on online platforms is egregious and unacceptable,” said Rep. Owens. “As the dad of 6 kids and the grandfather to 16 grandkids, fighting to protect the safety and well-being of innocent children is deeply personal. I am proud to support the EARN IT Act for the second time to empower law enforcement with every legal tool available to enforce child sex abuse laws, streamline the reporting process, and hold online companies accountable for allowing this material to surface on their sites.”
The full text of the legislation is available here.
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