Senator Hassan Cosponsors Bipartisan Legislation to Help Law Enforcement Crack Down on Online Child Exploitation

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) cosponsored bipartisan legislation to require that technology platforms like Facebook and Google preserve evidence for reports of online child exploitation for 180 days – doubling the current period of 90 days – in order to give law enforcement more time to go after these serious crimes. The bipartisan END Child Exploitation Act follows reporting from The New York Times, which found that technology companies reported 69 million online photos and videos showing the sexual abuse of children in 2019 alone, more than tripling the amount of content reported from 2017. The bipartisan legislation was introduced by Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV). 

“The startling rise in online child sexual abuse imagery requires significant action from law enforcement and public officials, which is why I am cosponsoring bipartisan legislation to enhance the ability of law enforcement at all levels to investigate these heinous crimes,” Senator Hassan said. “I will continue working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to protect our children from harm and ensure that law enforcement has the support and resources that they need to bring perpetrators to justice.”  

As a member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), Senator Hassan has continued to work to protect children in New Hampshire and across the country. Last year the President signed into law bipartisan legislation cosponsored by Senator Hassan to fund Children’s Advocacy Centers, which support victims of child abuse and help law enforcement hold perpetrators accountable. Senator Hassan has also worked to include measures in the reauthorization of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, which passed out of the HELP Committee last December, to ensure that family members caring for children who have been exposed to substance misuse or other trauma are eligible for necessary child support services. The reauthorization of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act also contains additional Hassan-backed measures from the Jenna Quinn Act that Senator Hassan introduced with Republican Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), which will fund grants to professionals who provide specialized care for children who have experienced sexual abuse, and especially ensures that children who experience disabilities receive necessary supports.

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