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The legislation enhances reporting of online child exploitation and requires online platforms to report child sex trafficking
Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Ann Wagner (R-MO), along with Representatives Sylvia Garcia (D-TX), Don Bacon (R-NE), and Zach Nunn (R-IA), released the following statement after she introduced the Child Online Safety Modernization Act:
“In 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received more than 32 million reports of online child sexual abuse material, sometimes called ‘child pornography.’ That’s equal to approximately 87,600 reports per day of images and videos of children being sexually exploited. My legislation, the Child Online Safety Modernization Act, will advance common-sense, bipartisan, and bicameral solutions to help law enforcement investigate these cases, rescue vulnerable children, and apprehend online predators,” said Wagner. “Additionally, this bill will make it clear that images and videos of children being raped is not ‘pornography,’ it is sexual abuse of a child. America cannot, and should not, accept a reality where innocent children are sexually exploited for financial gain. Congress must do everything in its power to end this scourge against humanity, and my legislation will help protect innocent victims from some of the most destructive criminals in our society.”
“In today’s modern society, it has become increasingly important to hold accountable those individuals that would sexually coerce and extort our children. As elected officials, there is no greater responsibility than ensuring we are keeping our children safe,’ said Garcia. “This is why I’m proud to co-lead the Online Safety Modernization Act of 2023 because it is a step toward preventing online sexual abuse from occurring in our society today.”
“As a father with six young children, there’s nothing in the world I wouldn’t do to protect them,” said Nunn. “The appalling number of reports of sexual abuse to the CyberTipline indicate that we have a crisis on our hands. We must take action to stop this horrific abuse and ensure victims get justice.”
“It is troubling and heartbreaking to see the rise of child sexual exploitation on the internet and we must do everything we can to save these children by supporting the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children as fully as we can,” said Bacon. “By requiring reports from online platforms to provide more information to help law enforcement identify and locate the child victim and the individual who posted the image, we can save more children from a life of sexual trauma.”
Read the one-pager on this legislation here.
Supporting Organizations
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)
“NCMEC thanks Representatives Ann Wagner and Sylvia Garcia for their leadership in online child safety and the introduction of the Child Online Safety Modernization Act (COSMA).
“COSMA addresses the significant impact of child sex trafficking and enticement of children for sexual abuse by requiring online platforms to report these crimes to the CyberTipline. The bill also extends the preservation of CyberTipline data from 90 days to one year and ensures reports will be more actionable, which will help law enforcement safeguard victimized children. Lastly, COSMA provides a much-needed update to the criminal code by replacing the term "child pornography" with "child sexual abuse material" to more accurately reflect the rape and sexual abuse of children that is depicted in these images.
“NCMEC is proud to support this important legislation and applauds Representatives Wagner and Garcia for their continued dedication to the safety of our children.” - Michelle DeLaune – President & CEO – NCMEC
National Children’s Alliance
“We cheer the introduction of COSMA by longtime Congressional champion for children, Rep. Ann Wagner of Missouri, to modernize and fix many of the paths by which children exploited online might be saved from their abuse,” said Teresa Huizar, CEO of National Children’s Alliance, the national association of Children’s Advocacy Centers. “Child sexual abuse materials are exploding in volume as our systems for online reporting and holding offenders accountable are stretched past their limits. The important changes to the CyberTipline and enhanced reporting requirements, plus the changes to federal law forever eliminating the inaccurate and victim-blaming term ‘child pornography’ from our federal laws, make the passage of the act a critical step toward an internet that minimally protects our children. We thank Rep. Wagner for her ongoing bipartisan leadership on behalf of children around the country, online and off.”
Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN)
"Technology companies must effectively collaborate with law enforcement to address online sexual exploitation of children", said Stefan Turkheimer, Interim Vice President of Public Policy for the Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network. "The Child Online Safety Modernization Act is a major step forward to ensure technology companies are doing their part to rescue victims and catch predators seen in child sexual abuse material that they host and show on their platforms.
International Justice Mission
“International Justice Mission (IJM) is pleased to support the Child Online Safety Modernization Act (COSMA). We are grateful for the leadership of Rep. Ann Wagner (R-TX) and Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-TX) in introducing this much-needed legislation. This bill will enhance reporting and preservation requirements for technology companies to the CyberTipline, which is operated by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). In 2022, 89.3% of all CyberTipline reports were linked to potential offenders outside the U.S. and referred to law enforcement agencies in more than 140 countries. From IJM’s experience in training international law enforcement partners on CyberTipline investigations, it is clear that updates are desperately needed to the existing reporting framework. COSMA will help improve consistency, quality and timeliness in reports of suspected OSEC sent from electronic service providers to the CyberTipline. IJM’s 2020 study of livestreamed child sexual abuse in the Philippines found that victims were abused on average for two years prior to intervention, in part because of failures to detect, report or disrupt these crimes. These updated reporting requirements will help international law enforcement receive and respond to reports faster, helping to identify and remove more children from abuse sooner. IJM also supports COSMA’s increase in the period of time electronic service providers are required to keep content from reports submitted to the CyberTipline – from 90 days to 1 year. This critical change will give investigators much-needed time to conduct their important work.” – Nate King, Director of Congressional Affairs at International Justice Mission
Raven
"Today our children live and interact in an online environment. There are not enough reporting mechanisms, guidelines, and legislation to find victims and protect them. COSMA will do just that and more importantly ensure that the horrific victimization of children is described accurately as - child sexual abuse material.” – John Pizzuro, CEO of Raven
Ending Online Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Children (OSEAC) Coalition
"Online sexual exploitation and abuse of children has increased exponentially since the COVID-19 pandemic", said the Ending Online Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Children (OSEAC) Coalition. "In 2019, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline received over 16.8 million reports of suspected OSEAC. In just 3 years, that number has nearly doubled to over 32 million. The Child Online Safety Modernization Act is essential in ensuring that law enforcement has the necessary information to successfully investigate reports and identify child victims. We applaud Representatives Ann Wagner and Sylvia Garcia for their leadership on this important issue."
Missouri KidsFirst
“Online sexual exploitation is an issue of great concern to providers who serve victims of child abuse, including Missouri’s Child Advocacy Centers (CACs). While we know the presence of Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM) is becoming more frequent in child abuse investigations, reliable data has been a consistent challenge to the field. This can delay the system response by law enforcement and child protective services and limit access to victim services,” said Jessica Seitz, Executive Director of Missouri KidsFirst, the state’s network of CACs. “We thank Representative Wagner for introducing this legislation which will promote justice and healing to children who have been exploited.”
Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (MOCADSV)
“The Child Online Safety Modernization Act seeks to replace the term “child pornography” with “child sexual abuse material” throughout U.S. federal statutes. Child victims depicted in such imagery have no consent and no control over their sexual exploitation, and U.S. federal law should accurately reflect this abuse. MOCADSV supports Representative Wagner’s efforts to increase online safety for children, and update federal statutes to accurately name this abuse.” – Matthew Huffman, Chief Public Affairs Officer.
Protect All Children from Trafficking (PACT)
"Our nation's laws have failed to catch up with technology and the internet. By holding online platforms accountable, The Child Online Safety Modernization Act is a step forward to ensuring all children can access the internet free from exploitation and abuse." – Alexander Delgado, Director of Public Policy.
National Center on Sexual Exploitation
"It's time for the House of Representatives to act to protect children online. COSMA provisions mainly match bills already approved by Senate Judiciary Committee. Let's see a Child Protection Congress this year!” - Dawn Hawkins, CEO, National Center on Sexual Exploitation.
