H.R. 6719: Combating Online Predators Act of 2025

The bill titled "Combating Online Predators Act of 2025" aims to enhance the legal framework to prohibit and penalize threats to minors, particularly in relation to sexual exploitation. Below is a summary of the main components of the proposed legislation:

Prohibition of Threats to Minors

The bill amends existing U.S. law to include specific provisions that make it illegal to:

• Distribute, offer, or send material that includes threats of distributing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
• Distribute materials that affect interstate or foreign commerce with the intent that the minor or a person believed to be a minor create or transmit such material.

Inclusion of New Offenses

The legislation proposes the introduction of a new category of offenses under federal law. This includes:

• A new section that criminalizes knowingly distributing threats associated with the sexual exploitation of minors.
• The definition of "threat" encompasses threats to distribute materials that depict minors in sexually explicit situations.

Child Pornography Amendments

The bill also makes amendments related to child pornography laws, specifically:

• The definition of child pornography is expanded to include threats associated with the intent to distribute or create such materials involving minors.
• The bill ensures that these threats are recognized as a distinct offense, thereby strengthening prosecution capabilities against offenders who engage in this behavior.

Legal Framework Enhancement

Through these changes, the bill aims to:

• Improve the protection of minors from online predators and those who might exploit them.
• Provide law enforcement with additional tools to combat the distribution of harmful materials involving minors.
• Address evolving threats in the digital landscape, particularly given the increasing use of technology in facilitating such offenses.

Intent to Protect Minors

The key objective of the bill is to create a safer online environment for minors by imposing stricter legal consequences on individuals who use threats to engage in the sexual exploitation of children.

Relevant Companies

None found