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Congress·In Committee·about 1 month ago

Congress Proposes New Penalties to Stop Online Predators From Threatening Minors With Explicit Images

Also known as: COP Act

Legislative Progress

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Senate
House
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Impact Analysis

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

Key Points

  • This bill, introduced by Senator Moody, aims to stop a practice often called sextortion by making it a federal crime to threaten to share explicit photos or videos of a child.
  • It specifically targets predators who use existing images to scare a minor into creating or sending even more sexually explicit material.
  • The law would apply even if the predator only believes the person they are talking to is a minor, which helps law enforcement catch people targeting children online even in undercover cases.
  • By updating federal laws, this change allows the government to prosecute people who use threats as a weapon to exploit children, even before a new image is actually shared or created.
Criminal JusticeTechnology Digital

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Jan 27, 2026Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Jan 27, 2026

Introduced in Senate

Related News

5 articles
NewsNation·21 days ago

How much will sextortion bill give parents and children relief in the future?

Lawmakers and parents are pushing the 'Combating Online Predators Act' to criminalize child sextortion, a crime that has surged in recent years. Rep. Laurel Lee discussed how the bill explicitly makes threats to use intimate images a federal crime, closing a gap in current child abuse statutes.

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The Floridian·about 1 month ago

Ashley Moody Introduces Bill Combating Online Child Sextortion

Senator Ashley Moody has introduced the Senate companion bill to the Combating Online Predators Act. The legislation aims to strengthen federal law by explicitly criminalizing threats to distribute child sexual abuse material, a practice known as sextortion that currently lacks a unified standard.

CR+
Hoodline·about 1 month ago

Crackdown Crusade: Sen. Moody's New Bill Targets Sextortion Scourge Amidst Soaring Teen Suicides

Senator Ashley Moody introduced the Combating Online Predators Act to penalize sextortion and protect children. The bill criminalizes the intentional distribution of threats of child sexual abuse material, addressing a rise in reports of predators targeting minors aged 14 to 17.

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Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

COP Act

Bill NumberS 3704
Congress119th Congress
ChamberSenate
Latest ActionRead twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Sponsor

Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.