Congress·In Committee·S. 3397

Bipartisan Bill Targets Online Predators Who Force Children to Commit Violence or Self-Harm

ECCHO Act

3 months ago·View on Congress.gov

Part of: Congress Establishes Life Sentences for Coercing Minors into Self-Harm

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Stalled

No legislative action in over 90 days.

Legislative Progress

Senate

House

President

Law

Key Points

This bill creates a new federal crime for anyone who uses threats, fraud, or manipulation to force a child under 18 to harm themselves or others. It specifically targets people who use the internet or mail to trick or scare kids into dangerous behavior.
The law covers several serious actions, including forcing a child to attempt suicide, commit murder, or start fires. It also makes it illegal to coerce a child into 'swatting'—making fake police reports to send emergency teams to someone's home—or 'doxxing' someone by posting their private information online.
The penalties for these crimes are very high. If someone forces a child to attempt suicide or kill another person, they could face life in prison. For other harmful acts, like forcing a child to hurt an animal or commit arson, the person could be sentenced to up to 30 years in prison.
This policy is designed to protect children from online predators who use fear or embarrassment to make them do things they wouldn't otherwise do. It treats these actions as a form of child exploitation, giving federal investigators more tools to catch and prosecute those responsible.

Criminal JusticeTechnology Digital

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

Who is affectedScoreImpactCertaintyScopeDurationSentiment

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions

Dec 9, 2025Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Dec 9, 2025

Introduced in Senate

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

Early-to-mid 2026

Senate Judiciary Committee reviews the bill

The bill must pass through committee before it can be voted on by the full Senate. With bipartisan sponsorship from both parties, it has a better-than-average chance of advancing, but many bills stall at this stage.

Related News

2 articles

NTD News·3 months ago

FBI Hunting Down Members of 764 Network

The ECCHO Act seeks to tackle individuals coercing children into harming themselves or others by proposing life in prison for the most serious offenses. The legislation aims to close gaps in federal law that currently do not explicitly prohibit this type of online coercion.

WHMI·3 months ago

FBI investigating more than 350 subjects tied to violent online '764' network

As the FBI probes the '764' network, Senators Grassley and Durbin have introduced the ECCHO Act to create a penalty of up to life in prison for coercing a victim into suicide or causing a death, addressing a 'disturbing rise' in online criminal networks targeting children.