Originally Published at Bloomberg
By Rebecca Kern
Child Exploitation
EARN IT ACT: The bipartisan Eliminating Abusive and Rampant Neglect of Interactive Technologies (EARN IT) Act was introduced in the Senate in March 2020, and was advanced by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Senators Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut, and Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, introduced the bill last year.
HIGHLIGHTS: It would allow for state civil and criminal lawsuits as well as federal civil lawsuits if companies advertise, promote, present, distribute or solicit child sexual abuse material. The legislation would also establish a National Commission on Online Child Sexual Exploitation Prevention that would create voluntary best practices for the industry. An amendment last Congress removed the original language that conditioned the liability protection on companies enacting the best practices.
SUPPORT AND OPPOSITION: The bill is supported by sex trafficking survivor groups including the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, and the National Center on Sexual Exploitation.
