S. 3398: Stop Sextortion Act

This bill, titled the "Stop Sextortion Act," aims to enhance federal laws related to child sexual exploitation and threats associated with it. The key provisions of the bill include:

1. Criminalization of Threats

The bill amends existing laws to make it a crime to intentionally threaten the distribution of child sexual abuse material. This means that if someone threatens to share such material to intimidate, coerce, extort, or cause emotional distress to a person, they can be prosecuted under these new provisions.

Specifically, the bill proposes changes to:

• Section 2252: This includes provisions about threatening to distribute visual depictions with harmful intent.
• Section 2252A: Similarly amended to cover threats related to child pornography.

2. Increased Penalties

The legislation also specifies that harsher penalties will be imposed for violations involving threats connected to child sexual abuse material. This includes:

• For certain offenses, a maximum prison term may be extended by 10 years if the threat involves the use of a visual depiction of a minor in sexually explicit conduct.
• Additional penalties may apply if any offense involves the knowing use of child pornography to intimidate or extort someone.

3. Other Provisions

The bill includes a severability clause, ensuring that if any part of the Act is found to be unconstitutional, the remaining provisions will still stand and remain enforceable.

4. Legislative Journey

As of December 9, 2025, the bill has been introduced in the Senate, sponsored by a bipartisan group of senators. It has been read and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary for further review and consideration.

Relevant Companies

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