Sponsors (15)
Introduced December 9, 2025 by Charles Ernest Grassley · Last progress December 9, 2025
The bill strengthens federal tools to protect minors from online coercion and to hold perpetrators accountable, but it increases federal criminalization, costs, and risks of vague definitions that could chill speech, expand prosecutions (including of youths), and divert resources from prevention and victim services.
Children and minors gain broader statutory protection because the bill expands covered offenses (including online coercion and statutes like 2261C and 1591), allowing more abusive interstate conduct to be investigated and prosecuted.
Law enforcement and prosecutors get clearer statutory terminology, cross-references, and defined harms (e.g., doxxing, swatting, online coercion), improving their ability to investigate, charge, and litigate serious online exploitation cases.
Victims (especially children) benefit from stronger accountability because the bill makes substantial criminal penalties available for perpetrators, which may deter organized or repeat offenders who coerce or exploit minors online.
Taxpayers and state/local systems face increased federal caseloads and costs because the bill creates stronger federal criminal liability and expands the range of conduct subject to federal prosecution.
Children, families, and speakers risk diminished free‑speech and due‑process protections because broad or vague definitions of 'coerce' and 'doxxing' could criminalize ambiguous online conduct and invite overbroad prosecutions.
Local law enforcement, emergency responders, and victim services may be diverted toward investigations and prosecutions, reducing resources available for prevention, community policing, and direct victim support.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Creates a federal crime banning the coercion of minors via mail or interstate commerce to commit suicide, violence, arson, animal harm, or doxxing/swatting and expands child-exploitation definitions.
Creates a new federal crime that makes it illegal to use the mail, the internet, or any interstate means to intentionally coerce a person under 18 to kill or attempt suicide, commit murder or serious bodily harm, kill or injure animals, set fires, or carry out doxxing/swatting/false threat schemes. Expands federal child-exploitation definitions and amends related statutes to include online coercion and the new offense, and includes a severability rule so the rest of the law stays in effect if part is struck down.