WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna (FL-13) introduced the House companion bill to the Preventing Rampant Online Technological Exploitation and Criminal Trafficking (PROTECT) Act introduced by Senator Mike Lee (UT) last January in the United States Senate. This bill will require websites that host pornography to obtain age and identity verification of individuals uploading pornographic content. It would also require consent forms, age, and identity verification from the individuals who appear in the content uploaded to these sites. Additionally, it would require them to remove any content that is not consensual from their platforms at the request of the victims, including the type of content commonly referred to as “revenge porn.”

“I am proud to partner with Senator Mike Lee by introducing the PROTECT Act in the House,” said Congresswoman Luna. “All across the country, women, men, and children become victims of image-based sexual abuse. Predators profit from non-consensual leaked photos and videos by disseminating them to millions of viewers on pornography websites. Even when victims have pleaded with these websites to remove content, they have ignored their pleas and put financial gain before the safety of victims.”

The introduction of the PROTECT Act in the House marks a crucial step in the fight against online sexual exploitation and image-based abuse. Through this legislation, Congresswoman Luna and Senator Lee are holding technology leaders accountable and demanding more rigorous safeguards from websites to protect their users. This act is a beacon of hope for survivors and their families, signaling a commitment to fostering a safer digital environment.

“Tech companies need to do more to prevent the exploitation that is occurring on their platforms and allow individuals to remove images shared without their consent. The PROTECT Act is a step in that direction,” said Senator Lee.

Congresswoman Luna continues her fight to ensure victims of sexual abuse see justice for the horrible crimes committed against them.

You can read the bill text here: https://luna.house.gov/PROTECT-Act 

Website: luna.house.gov | X: @RepLuna | Instagram: @RepLuna 

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