Ossoff’s efforts to combat online child sexual abuse become law

“My bipartisan legislation with Senator Blackburn will ensure technology companies are held accountable for reporting and removing child abuse material and strengthening protections for children online,” Ossoff said in a press release. “At a time of such division in Congress, we successfully brought Republicans and Democrats together to protect children online, and now our bill is law.”

The final version of the bill also included language championed by U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath, D-Marietta, in a proposal of her own.

McBath’s part of the bill Extends the length of time tech companies are required to retain child sexual abuse images they report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, giving law enforcement a longer window to investigate and potentially file charges.

McBath had filed her bill in every Congress since she took office in 2019, and it is now part of Ossoff’s bill that became law. She said in a statement that she was glad her efforts had finally paid off.

“As modern technology advances and evolves, so do the risks and threats our children face,” McBath said. “We must give parents and law enforcement all the tools they need to end the abuse and exploitation of children online.”