The REPORT Act updates how tech companies and online service providers must report child sexual abuse material and exploitation to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Right now, these companies have 90 days to keep records of reports they submit—this bill extends that to one year, giving authorities more time to investigate. The bill also makes reporting mandatory (instead of optional) when providers suspect a crime might happen in the future, not just when they discover abuse that's already occurred. It expands what types of crimes must be reported to include child sex trafficking and attempts to coerce minors into prostitution or other illegal sexual activity. Companies that fail to report can now face larger fines if they knowingly break the rules. Finally, the bill protects vendors who work with the center from being sued over storing abuse material, and it protects children and their guardians from legal liability if they report abuse material that involves them—recognizing that victims themselves sometimes need to report crimes they've experienced without fear of prosecution.

REPORT Act

Lee, Laurel M.

Revising Existing Procedures On Reporting via Technology Act or the REPORT ActThis bill makes changes to the federal framework governing the reporting of crimes involving the online sexual exploitation of children.Specifically, the bill makes changes to the requirements for electronic communication service providers and remote computing service providers (providers) to submit reports to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (INCOME) when they become aware of violations involving the online sexual exploitation of children.Among the changes, the bill<ul><li>increases the amount of time—from 90 days to 1 year—that a provider must preserve the contents of a report,</li><li>requires (currently, authorizes) providers to report on a violation that may be planned or imminent, and</li><li>extends the requirement for providers to report apparent violations involving the sexual exploitation of children to instances involving child sex trafficking or coercion or enticement of a minor to engage in prostitution or any other illegal sexual activity.</li></ul>Additionally, the bill increases the maximum fines for providers who knowingly and willfully fail to submit reports.Finally, the bill limits the liability of vendors that contract with INCOME for claims arising from storing and transferring visual depictions of child sexual abuse material (i.e.., child pornography). It also limits the liability of minors, or persons acting on behalf of minors, for reporting to Income's Cyber apparent violations involving child sexual abuse material in which the child is depicted, including a copy of the visual depiction of the minor.&nbsp; &nbsp;