Sponsors (17)
The bill strengthens federal protections and prosecutorial tools against online coercion and child exploitation—potentially reducing harms to minors—but does so by broadening federal criminal authority in ways that may increase costs, shift resources, and raise free‑speech and due‑process risks.
Children and minors gain stronger federal protection against online and offline coercion that encourages self-harm or violence, enabling federal prosecution of abusers across state lines.
Law enforcement and prosecutors get clearer statutory definitions, cross-references, and updated 'online' terminology, improving their ability to investigate and charge online child-exploitation and coercion cases.
Perpetrators of severe online coercion face substantial criminal penalties (including decades-to-life sentences), increasing accountability and potential deterrence for organized or repeat offenders.
Broad or vague definitions (e.g., of 'coerce' and 'doxxing') risk criminalizing ambiguous conduct and chilling lawful speech, raising free‑speech and due-process concerns.
The bill expands federal criminal liability into areas often handled by states, likely increasing federal caseloads and taxpayer costs.
Broadening covered offenses and adding federal juvenile-transfer entries could increase prosecutions and legal costs for defendants and courts, and may lead to more youths being prosecuted in adult federal court.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Creates a federal crime prohibiting use of interstate commerce to coerce minors into suicide, violence, arson, animal harm, or certain online harms, and updates related statutes and definitions.
Introduced December 9, 2025 by Charles Ernest Grassley · Last progress December 9, 2025
Creates a new federal crime that makes it illegal to use the mail, the internet, or other interstate or foreign commerce to intentionally coerce a person under 18 to kill or try to kill themselves or others, harm animals, start fires, inflict serious injury, or carry out certain online harms like doxxing and swatting. It sets hefty criminal penalties (including life or long prison terms for coercion to suicide or murder, and up to 30 years for other listed harms). Also updates federal criminal statutes and the PROTECT Our Children Act definitions to include this new offense and the broader idea of “online coercion,” adjusts related cross-references and terminology, and includes a severability rule so other parts remain in force if one part is struck down.