Sponsor
Ritchie Torres
Representative · D-NY
Representative · D-NY
The bill tightens protections and enforcement against disclosure of classified information on common messaging apps—strengthening national security and creating clearer tools and penalties for prosecutors—while risking criminalizing inadvertent or whistleblower disclosures, chilling routine communications by federal workers, and increasing enforcement costs.
The public/taxpayers are better protected from unauthorized disclosure because sharing classified information on common messaging apps is prohibited, reducing risks to national security and public safety.
Federal prosecutors and the DOJ gain a clearer statutory tool to charge misuse of messaging apps for classified leaks, improving enforcement and deterring intentional disclosures.
The bill establishes defined penalties (up to 10 years and fines) for these communications offenses, giving courts clearer sentencing ranges and increasing predictability of outcomes.
Federal employees, contractors, or others who share classified information unknowingly or who engage in whistleblowing could face felony charges and up to 10 years in prison, creating substantial risk to rights and liberties.
Broad criminalization of posting classified content on widely used apps may chill legitimate communication and complicate routine work that touches classified topics, hindering collaboration and information flow within government.
Increased federal prosecutions under the new prohibition could raise costs for the justice system and for defendants (legal fees, incarceration), shifting taxpayer resources toward enforcement.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Makes it a federal felony to knowingly transmit or make available classified information via mobile or desktop messaging apps, punishable by fines and up to 10 years imprisonment.
Official title: To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit the communication of classified information on mobile or desktop messaging application, and for other purposes.
Introduced April 2, 2025 by Ritchie Torres · Last progress April 2, 2025
Creates a new federal felony making it illegal to knowingly communicate, furnish, transmit, or otherwise make available classified information via mobile or desktop messaging applications, punishable by fines and up to 10 years in prison. Also provides only two official short titles for the law and updates the Title 18 table of sections to insert the new offense after 798A.