COP Act
Congress Proposes New Penalties to Stop Online Predators From Threatening Minors With Explicit Images
Superseded
The companion bill in the other chamber is advancing instead.
→View advancing bill: Congress Targets Online “Sextortion” by Making Threats to Share Minor Sexual Images a Federal CrimeLegislative Progress
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.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
People who threaten minors with explicit images in order to coerce them into creating more such material would face new federal criminal charges under this bill. This closes a gap in existing law, meaning offenders who previously might have avoided prosecution for this specific type of threat could now be charged, convicted, and sentenced to significant prison time.
Milestones
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
Related News
5 articlesHow 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.
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.
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.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
COP Act
Data Sources
Sponsor
Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.