U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA), both senior members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, have introduced a set of bipartisan bills aimed at addressing online child exploitation and updating federal laws to better protect children from digital abuse.
The legislative package includes three bills: the Sentencing Accountability for Exploitation Act (SAFE Act), the Ending Coercion of Children and Harm Online Act (ECCHO Act), and the Stop Sextortion Act. These measures seek to strengthen penalties for offenders, address gaps in current law, and respond to recent trends in online criminal activity targeting minors.
Durbin stated, "Because of modern technology, child predators from anywhere in the world can target American kids online. As technology has evolved, so have online child exploiters. Today, offenders are engaging in sadistic online exploitation and coercing kids to take their own lives. Big Tech continues to fail our most vulnerable because they refuse to incorporate 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. I’m proud to join Senator Grassley in introducing three bills aimed at curbing these horrific crimes online, in addition to continuing to work on advancing other critical reforms like my STOP CSAM Act. Congress has spent enough time investigating tech platforms’ failures; it’s now time that we deliver for the American people."
Grassley added, "Changes in technology have created new opportunities for criminals to harass, exploit, intimidate and harm American children. These horrific crimes – often committed by violent online groups who take advantage of our nation’s outdated laws – have gone unchecked for far too long. Congress must stand up for American families and finally address the online rot that is hurting children nationwide. I’m proud to introduce these bills to protect children from online abuse, hold dangerous criminals accountable and secure much needed justice for victims and their families."
The SAFE Act proposes repealing old sentencing laws related to child sexual abuse material (CSAM) offenses and instructs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to create updated guidelines reflecting current aggravating factors such as participation in organized CSAM groups or use of anonymizing technologies.
The ECCHO Act would establish a new federal crime prohibiting individuals from coercing minors into harming themselves or others through digital means. Penalties could reach life imprisonment if death results from such coercion.
The Stop Sextortion Act seeks tougher penalties against those who threaten minors with distribution of CSAM as a means of extortion or intimidation by raising maximum sentences from five years up to ten years.
Data provided by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children indicates a significant increase in reports involving financially motivated sextortion schemes—up more than 33%—and sadistic forms of exploitation—rising over 200%—in 2024 alone.
Durbin has made child safety a focus during his tenure on the Judiciary Committee through hearings with social media company executives and advancing related legislation such as the STOP CSAM Act—which passed committee unanimously—and the DEFIANCE Act targeting nonconsensual “deepfake” content.
Recent committee hearings have also addressed broader legal gaps concerning children's safety in digital environments.
