skip to Main Content

257 ORGANIZATIONS CALL ON CONGRESS TO PASS THE EARN IT ACT

Justice For All joined in a letter of support for the Earn It Act (EIA) signed by 258 organizations from 50 states + DC; 62 national organizations; 62 orgs founded by Survivors or with Survivors in leadership roles.

The bill (S.3538) was introduced by 20 members of the US Senate on Monday, January 31. Reps Sylvia Garcia & Ann Wagner introduced it (HR 6544) on Wednesday in the House of Representatives.

Below is a press release by Sen. Blumenthal’s office on the letter of support.

257 ORGANIZATIONS CALL ON CONGRESS TO PASS THE EARN IT ACT

“More is needed from our government to instill protections that will keep our children and others from being exploited in exchange for advertising profits,” the letter stated

[WASHINGTON, DC] – This week, a coalition of 257 organizations representing survivors of child exploitation and sex trafficking from all 50 states and the District of Columbia published a letter of support calling on Congress to pass the Eliminating Abusive and Rampant Neglect of Interactive Technologies Act (EARN IT Act).

The EARN IT Act was introduced this week by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and would encourage the tech industry to take online child sexual exploitation seriously by removing blanket immunity for violations of laws related to online child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

“It is time to confront and restrict rampant sexual abuse occurring on digital platforms,” the organizations and advocates wrote in the letter. “Victims will finally have access to justice because EARN IT will allow them to use federal civil and state criminal and civil law to seek redress for harm suffered.”

Citing the scores of individuals and parents of children who have had sexually explicit videos and photographs illegally posted online without the victim’s consent, the organizations highlighted the lack of action and accountability from social media platforms and Big Tech giants.

“Even with the tools provided for good citizens to report concerning material and activity on these digital platforms, they ignore requests even when presented with evidence that the subject is a minor,” the letter stated. “For this reason, more is needed from our government to instill protections that will keep our children and others from being exploited in exchange for advertising profits.”

The letter also noted efforts by tech giants to avoid accountability, and pushed back on unfair criticism that the bill would represent an attack on free speech and encryption.

“Despite what Big Tech’s legion of lobbyists will tell you: EARN IT Act does not undermine privacy initiatives or free speech or human rights. Since Big Tech can’t defend child sexual abuse material, it invents specious arguments against this bill,” the letter stated. “It is a necessary, surgical reform to the [Communications Decency Act] (CDA) 230 in order to prevent criminality with lifelong negative consequences on innocent victims.”

“We urge you to convey the urgency of this legislation to Congressional leadership by marking up the bill as soon as possible,” the letter concluded.

Among the 257 cosigners were 61 major national organizations, including the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, National Children’s Alliance, National Organization for Women, RAINN, National District Attorneys Association, U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking, Rights4Girls, and Equality Now.

Full text of the letter of support can be found here.

The EARN IT Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Bob Casey (D-PA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), John Kennedy (R-LA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Rob Portman (R-OH), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), John Cornyn (R-TX), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Susan Collins (R-ME), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), and Mark Warner (D-VA).

U.S. Representatives Ann Wagner (R-MO) and Sylvia Garcia (D-TX) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

February 4, 2022

The. Hon. Richard Durban, Chair Senate Judiciary Committee United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510
The. Hon. Jerrold Nadler, Chair House Judiciary Committee 2138 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515
The. Hon. Chuck Grassley, Ranking Member Senate Judiciary Committee United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510
The. Hon. Jim Jordan, Ranking Member House Judiciary Committee 2138 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Chairman Durbin, Chairman Nadler, Ranking Member Grassley and Ranking Member Jordan:

The undersigned organizations, including survivors of child exploitation and sex trafficking, support passage of the EARN IT Act (Eliminating Abusive and Rampant Neglect of Interactive Technologies Act) of 2022; It is time to confront and restrict rampant sexual abuse occurring on digital platforms.

The EARN IT Act repeals near blanket immunity from liability enjoyed by interactive computer service, or digital, companies under judicial interpretations of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, section 230. Finally, platforms will be held accountable for the harmful content they monetize through advertising. Victims will finally have access to justice because EARN IT will allow them to use federal civil and state criminal and civil law to seek redress for harm suffered.

The population impacted by lack of accountability from Big Tech goes beyond the advocates and organizations that have signed this letter. We know scores of individuals, and parents of children, who have had sexually explicit videos and photographs illegally posted online, without the victim’s consent, including child sexual abuse material (CSAM, also known as child pornography). Additionally, some social media platforms serve as hubs for criminal activity. Even with the tools provided for good citizens to report concerning material and activity on these digital platforms, they ignore requests even when presented with evidence that the subject is a minor.

Further: despite federal law requiring that the National Center on Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) be alerted regarding CSAM, some of the biggest tech giants ignore this obligation. Bottom line: their content moderation resources will never be enough to eliminate the illegal and harmful activity that is facilitated across Big Tech. For this reason, more is needed from our government to instill protections that will keep our children and others from being exploited in exchange for advertising profits

To that end, the EARN IT Act would establish a new National Commission on Online Child Sexual Exploitation Prevention. Change in online technology is so rapid and so potentially harmful to children, the U.S. needs such an independent body of experts. The commission will recommend best practices related to identifying and reporting online child sexual exploitation as well as ways to prevent predatory grooming and sex trafficking. It will help parents and schools do a better job of shielding children from damaging online content, while providing guidance to private industry regarding filters and age gating.

We urge you to convey the urgency of this legislation to Congressional leadership by marking up the bill as soon as possible.

Despite what Big Tech’s legion of lobbyists will tell you: EARN IT Act does not undermine privacy initiatives or free speech or human rights. Since Big Tech can’t defend child sexual abuse material, it invents specious arguments against this bill. This 2022 version of the bill clearly states it does not undermine encryption. Rather, it is a necessary, surgical reform to CDA 230 in order to prevent criminality with lifelong negative consequences on innocent victims.

Sincerely,

STATE ORGANIZATION (Bold = National Org; Yellow= Survivor Leadership)
Alabama Camille Place
AL Child Trafficking Solutions Project
AL Kingdom Forerunners
AL Rescue Innocence Movement
AL Worthy2
Alaska Mat-Su Youth Housing (My House)
Arizona Dream Center
AZ Life Link Church
Arkansas Into the Light
AR National Child Protection Task Force
California 3Strands Global Foundation
CA Alliance for HOPE International
CA Bilateral Safety Corridor Coalition
CA Bridge Network
CA DA:NCE (dance awareness: no child exploited)
CA Exodus Cry
CA Frederick Douglass Foundation of California
CA Global Hope 365
CA Humans Against Trafficking
CA Journey Out
CA Love Never Fails
CA Parents Media and Television Council
CA Prostitution Research and Education
CA Resilient Souls, Inc.
CA Realized Potential, Inc.
CA S.H.A.D.E Movement
CA Sowers Education Group
CA The Well Path
CA Women’s Center Youth & Family Services
CA & FL No More Johns
Colorado The Avery Center
CO Beautiful Feet Wellness
CO Compass 31
CO Justice Defense Fund
CO Porn Free Colorado
CO Pornography Is Not Education
CO Sierra Cares Foundation
CO Survivors for Solutions
CO Truckers Against Trafficking
CO, IL, KY, MA, MN SPACE International (Survivors of Prostitution Abuse Calling for Enlightenment)
Connecticut The Center for Family Justice
CT New Englanders Against Sexual Exploitation, CT Chapter
CT School Sisters of Notre Dame Atlantic Midwest Province
CT Traffick Jam Live
CT The Underground New England
Delaware Zoe Ministries
District of Columbia Adorers of the Blood of Christ
DC Healing Communities USA
DC Innocents at Risk
DC Justice for All
DC National Center on Sexual Exploitation
DC National Children’s Alliance
DC National Organization for Women
DC RAINN
DC Rights4Girls
DC Stop Child Predators
Florida A&K Ranch Ministries, LLC
FL ANEW Life International, Inc.
FL Bridging Freedom
FL Charted Waters Advocacy Group
FL Child Rescue Coalition
FL Direct Access Counseling and Supportive Services, LLC.
FL Hendry County Sheriffs Office
FL The Human Trafficking Foundation
FL Into the Jordan Ministries
FL Justice Restoration Center
FL One More Child
FL Path2Freedom
FL Paving the Way Foundation
FL Reflective Spaces Ministry
FL Southwest Florida Coalition Against Human Trafficking
FL The Speak Out Project
FL U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking (USIAHT)
FL Victims2Survivors-US
FL World For Good
FL/IL The Foundation United
FL, CA, CT & NY World Without Exploitation
Georgia BeLoved Atlanta
GA Faithful Love
GA & OH Frontline Response/Out of Darkness
GA, TN & TX Street Grace
Hawaii Ho’ōla Nā Pua (New Life for Our Children)
Idaho Citizens for Decency
Illinois The Joint Global Task Force on Doxxing & Cyber-Sexual Terrorism
IL Kerengende Foundation
IL Parents Against Child Sex Abuse (P.A.X.A.)
IL Rahab’s Daughters
IL & TX Alliance of Leadership and Innovation for Victims of Exploitation (ALIVE)
Indiana Resiliency Foundation
Iowa Chains Interrupted
IA Tri-State Coalition Against Human Trafficking and Slavery
Kansas The Stop Trafficking Project
Kentucky Sisters of Charity of Nazareth Congregational Leadership
Louisiana Free NOLA, Inc.
Maine If Only 1
ME Just Love Worldwide
Maryland Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, U.S. Provinces
MD Eastern Shore Human Trafficking Task Force
MD Leadership Conference of Women Religious
MD Maryland Coalition Against Pornography
MD National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd
MD National Crittenton
Massachusetts Amirah, Inc.
MA Culture Reframed
MA My Life My Choice
Michigan Covenant Eyes, Inc
MI Protect Young Eyes
Minnesota Breaking Free
MN Central Minnesota Sexual Assault Center
MN Christian Action League of Minnesota
MN Nanda-noojimo (Serving indigenous survivors of sex trafficking & prostitution)
Mississippi American Family Association
Missouri Missouri Coalition Against Trafficking and Exploitation (CATE)
MO School Sisters of Notre Dame
MO Sisters of St Joseph of Carondelet
Montana CASA – Cascade County
MT Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes
MT End Exploitation Montana
MT Flathead County Human Trafficking Task Force
MT Gallatin County Human Trafficking Task Force
MT HER Campaign
MT The LifeGuard Group
MT Missoula Human Trafficking Task Force
MT Mountain Home Montana
MT National Council of Catholic Women
MT Raising Today’s Kids
MT Soroptimist International of Whitefish
MT Yellowstone County Area Human Trafficking Task Force
MT Zonta Club of Billings Foundation
Nebraska Catholic Daughters of Court Little Flower
Nevada Awaken Reno
NV Awareness Is Prevention
NV Destiny House
New Hampshire The Darling Princess
NH ExPOSE
NH & MA Jasmine Grace Outreach
NH New Englanders Against Sexual Exploitation, NH Committee
NH New Hampshire Traffic-Free Coalition
NH Real Life Giving
New Jersey Airline Ambassadors International Office of Peace, Justice, and Ecological Integrity – Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth
New Mexico Rise In Love Foundation
New York Center for Family and Human Rights (C-FAM)
NY childsafe.ai
NY Coalition Against Trafficking in Persons (CATW) International
NY Covenant House
MY & DC ECPAT-USA
NY Equality Now
NY LifeWay Network
NY Lynn’s Warriors
NY National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners
NY Office of Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation – Sisters of St. Joseph
NY Pan Pacific and South East Asia Women’s Association
NY Sanctuary for Families
NY Universal Peace Federation
NY Women’s Equal Justice Project
NY& CA Mentari Human Trafficking Survivor Empowerment Program
North Carolina Abundant Life Counseling
NC A Safe Place
NC The Beloved Haven
NC BLOOMHERE
NC Changing Destinies Ministry
NC Get Up Girl, Inc.
NC Life 107
NC Lift Up the Vulnerable
NC NC Stop Human Trafficking
NC On Eagles Wings
NC Project FIGHT – The Salvation Army
NC Safelight, Inc.
NC Shield North Carolina
NC Stand Against Trafficking USA
NC Soroptimist International of Mid-Atlantic Online
NC We Stand Guard
North Dakota North Dakota Family Alliance
Ohio Abolition Ohio
OH Center for Christian Virtue
OH Oasis House
OH She Has A Name
OH The University of Toledo’s Human Trafficking & Social Justice Institute
Oklahoma The Red Cord
OK The Servitium Project
Oregon Better Screen Time
OR Bridging the Gap
OR Guardian Project
OR Mentor Support Collaborative
OR Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office
OR Portland Women’s Liberation NOW
OR Trauma Informed Training
OR & VA Voices Against Trafficking
Pennsylvania Bloom for Women
PA Villanova Law Institute to Address Commercial Sexual Exploitation
PA Dawn’s Place
PA Living in Liberty
PA She’s Somebody’s Daughter
PA Walk Her Home
Rhode Island Together with Love
South Carolina Charleston Christian University (CSU) Anti-Trafficking Club
SC Doors to Freedom
SC The Formation Club
SC The Fraternal Order of Police #3
SC Holy Cross Church. Sullivan’s Island
SC Lighthouse for Life
SC Lincoln Tubman Foundation
SC Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC)
SC OUR Treasure
SC Rivers of Justice
SC South Carolina Legislative Roundtable
SC Switch
SC Tri-County Human trafficking Task Force
South Dakota Call to Freedom
SD Project 8
SD Treasured Lives
Tennessee End Slavery Tennessee
TN Freedom Forever
TN Girls Against Porn and Human Trafficking
TN Loves Arm
TN Men Against Porn
TN National Decency Coalition
TN Wired Human
TN & DC Thistle Farms
Texas Arrow Child and Family Ministries
TX The Carly Ryan Foundation
TX Crime Stoppers of Houston
TX Exploitation 2 Empowerment
TX El Paso CARES (EPCARES)
TX Justice Society
TX Learn To Protect Kids
TX Phalynx Professional Consulting
TX Rebecca Bender Initiatives
TX Refuge City
TX Traffick911
TX Valiant Hearts
Utah Operation Underground Railroad
UT Star Guides Wilderness
UT Traffick Refuge
Vermont New Englanders Against Sexual Exploitation (NEASE), VT Chapter
Virginia American Principles Project
VA Anti-Trafficking International
VA Enough Is Enough
VA Freedom 4/24
VA National District Attorneys Association
VA Recover Hope, Inc.
VA Prevention Works Joint Task Force and Coalition
VA Safe House Project
VA Wealth Management Ministries
Washington Defend Young Minds
WA The EPIK Project
WA The iSeeYou Initiative
WA Recontext Media
WA Washington Trafficking Prevention
WA & DC Shared Hope International
WA & TX Rescue Freedom international
West Virginia SheWhoDares Consulting, LLC.
Wisconsin The LOVE>hate Project
WI Washington County Anti-Trafficking Advocates
WI Clarity Clinic of SW Wisconsin
WI Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa
Wyoming Uprising
Back To Top