Legislative push for child online safety runs afoul of encryption advocates (again) | CyberScoop<\/title> <meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Stop CSAM Act aims to enforce stricter measures on big tech to tackle child sexual abuse material. Critics fear this could jeopardize encrypted messaging services.\"> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/stop-csam-act-senate-judiciary-hawley-durbin-encryption\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Legislative push for child online safety runs afoul of encryption advocates (again)\"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Stop CSAM Act aims to enforce stricter measures on big tech to tackle child sexual abuse material. 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href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/stop-csam-act-senate-judiciary-hawley-durbin-encryption\/#main\" class=\"skip-to-content-link visually-hidden-focusable\">Skip to main content<\/a> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--top ad--top-desktop\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> <main id=\"main\" role=\"main\" tabindex=\"-1\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--top ad--top-mobile\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section id=\"stickybar\" class=\"stickybar stickybar--event js-stickybar\">\n<div class=\"stickybar__details\" readability=\"5.12\">\n<div class=\"stickybar__info js-sticky-bar-content\" readability=\"32\">\n<p>Nominations can be submitted for the 2025 CyberScoop 50 awards!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <a class=\"stickybar__link button button-tertiary\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/cyberscoop50\/\">Click here!<\/a> <\/div>\n<p> <button class=\"stickybar__close js-stickybar-close\" aria-controls=\"stickybar\"> <svg class=\"icon icon--close\" width=\"21\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 22\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"m.822.518-.805.805L9.695 11 .017 20.678l.805.805 9.678-9.678 9.677 9.678.806-.805L11.305 11l9.678-9.677-.806-.805-9.677 9.677L.822.518Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg> <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Close<\/span> <\/button> <\/section>\n<article class=\"single-article content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__container js-single-article-content\">\n<header class=\"single-article__header \" readability=\"25.981132075472\">\n<div class=\"single-article__header-content\" readability=\"34.818594104308\">\n<ul class=\"single-article__eyebrow\">\n<li class=\"single-article__category\"> <a class=\"single-article__category-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/stop-csam-act-senate-judiciary-hawley-durbin-encryption\/\"> <span>Government<\/span> <\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> The Stop CSAM Act would compel companies to curb online child sexual abuse material, but critics argue it would also weaken encrypted services for all users. <\/p>\n<p>  <br \/>\n<audio id=\"audio-player\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-tts-cdn.api.scpnewsgrp.com\/cyberscoop\/83839\/english.openai.mp3\"><\/audio> <\/p>\n<div readability=\"11\">\n<div>\n<p>Listen to this article<\/p>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p>0:00<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p> <span id=\"tts-tooltip\">Learn more.<\/span> <span> This feature uses an automated voice, which may result in occasional errors in pronunciation, tone, or sentiment. <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>  <\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__cover-wrap\">\n<figure class=\"single-article__cover\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again.jpg?resize=640%2C426&ssl=1\" class=\"single-article__cover-image wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" 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1265w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1013px) 100vw, 1013px\"><figcaption> The Stop CSAM Act, first introduced in 2023 by Sens. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., (above) and Dick Durbin, D-Ill., would impose several new requirements on companies to prevent the hosting and distribution of child sexual abuse material on their platforms. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"single-article__content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__content-inner has-drop-cap\"> <html readability=\"70.275576581904\"><body readability=\"142.97025841053\"><\/p>\n<p>Two members of the Senate Judiciary Committee are preparing to introduce a bipartisan bill that would mandate tech companies to more swiftly report and remove child sexual abuse material hosted on their platforms, but critics warn it could result in the weakening or elimination of encrypted messaging services that many Americans rely on.<\/p>\n<p>The Stop CSAM Act, first introduced <a href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/118th-congress\/senate-bill\/1199\/text#:~:text=Reported%20to%20Senate%20(05%2F15%2F2023)&text=To%20combat%20the%20sexual%20exploitation,transparency%20by%20the%20tech%20industry.&text=To%20combat%20the%20sexual%20exploitation,transparency%20by%20the%20tech%20industry.\">in 2023<\/a> by Sens. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., and Dick Durbin, D-Ill., would impose several new requirements on companies to prevent the hosting and distribution of child sexual abuse material on their platforms.<\/p>\n<p>The bill would expand companies\u2019 obligations to report instances of the material to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, enhance privacy protections for children who testify in court, and create a Child Online Protection Board at the Federal Trade Commission that could enforce the removal of such content or fine companies for violations.<\/p>\n<p>Most controversially, it would also seek to alter tech companies\u2019 immunity under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, allowing victims to file civil lawsuits against companies that fail to remove CSAM content from their platforms in a timely fashion.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>At a Senate Judiciary hearing Tuesday, Hawley criticized the way online platforms handle victim requests to take down material, alleging that tech companies \u201cfob [victims] off on some complicated procedure that never bears any fruit, or just flat out refuse to do anything\u201d when victims contact them.<\/p>\n<p>Michelle DeLaune, CEO of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, expressed support for the Stop CSAM Act, calling the bill an opportunity \u201cto require meaningful and enhanced reporting by online platforms, to create meaningful incentives for these companies to ensure their platforms protect children from predators and to support survivors.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>DeLaune expressed concerns about a significant drop in reports the organization has received on child sexual abuse material through its cyber tip line. In 2023, the organization received more than 36 million reports, compared to just 20 million last year.<\/p>\n<p>She attributed the decline to multiple factors, including an internal change within her organization that allowed companies to bundle reports. Despite this, she said that the center still received about seven million fewer reports from companies about child sexual abuse material on their platforms, including year-over-year decreases in reporting of 20% or more from companies like Google, X, Discord and Microsoft.<\/p>\n<p>She also said the quality of reporting has degraded in recent years, noting that \u201ccompanies are still choosing what they wish to include in their report and what they don\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Hawley and Durbin have yet to formally reintroduce the bill this year. Critics of past iterations have emphasized that they are waiting to see if the new version has updated language in response to previous feedback.<\/p>\n<p>When CyberScoop requested text for the latest version of the bill, a Hawley staffer referred the reporter to a Feb. 19 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hawley.senate.gov\/hawley-durbin-announce-reintroduction-of-anti-csam-legislation\/\">press release<\/a> indicating that Hawley and Durbin planned to reintroduce the legislation this year. A Durbin staffer referred CyberScoop to Hawley\u2019s office for the most updated bill. <\/p>\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-digital-rights-groups-are-opposed\"><strong>Digital rights groups are opposed<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Digital rights groups have come out hard against the bill, arguing that tech companies are already legally required to address known instances of CSAM on their platforms and there is no technical or policy solution that would allow tech companies greater access to the encrypted communications of users sharing CSAM material without weakening or removing encrypted services for everyone.<\/p>\n<p> In 2023, the Stop CSAM Act passed unanimously through the Senate Judiciary Committee, but was blocked from receiving a floor vote under unanimous consent by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., who argued<a href=\"https:\/\/thehill.com\/homenews\/senate\/4452124-democrat-blocks-request-to-strip-tech-companies-of-legal-immunity-related-to-child-pornography\/\"> at the time<\/a> that the bill would result in tech companies weakening or removing their encrypted services for all their users in an effort to avoid legal action.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Jenna Leventoff, senior policy counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union, told CyberScoop her organization is still waiting to see language from this year\u2019s bill, but reiterated broad concerns about the impact on encryption for all users.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re very concerned that if this bill passes, the platforms\u2019 reaction will be, \u2018if we\u2019re going to be held liable for content we don\u2019t know about, we can\u2019t offer encrypted services, because it\u2019s not worth the risk for us,\u2019\u201d Leventoff said.<\/p>\n<p>Any company going that route, she said, would diminish access to encrypted messaging for other vulnerable groups, such as political dissidents, domestic abuse survivors, and others who need to communicate privately.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think there are a lot of people in this political climate who rely on encrypted messages,\u201d Leventoff added.<\/p>\n<p>The fear that companies may respond to laws requiring greater access or surveillance of encrypted services by eliminating those services for all users is not hypothetical. Last month, Apple <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/apple-uk-encryption-advanced-data-protection-privacy\/\">reacted<\/a> to the British government\u2019s request for law enforcement access to encrypted iCloud accounts by discontinuing its end-to-end encryption services for all Apple devices in the United Kingdom. <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) sent a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eff.org\/document\/eff-letter-senate-committee-judiciary-regarding-stop-csam-act\">letter<\/a> to the Senate Judiciary Committee reiterating its opposition to the bill, saying that attempts to crack down on the spread of child pornography is a noble endeavor, but \u201claudable goals do not always make good law.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Language in previous versions of the Stop CSAM Act have sought to hold tech companies liable not only for knowingly hosting child sexual abuse content, but also for instances where they were \u201cnegligent\u201d about such material.<\/p>\n<p>India McKinney, director of federal affairs at EFF, wrote that \u201cdue to the nature of their services, encrypted communications providers who receive a takedown notice under a separate section of this bill may be deemed to have \u2018knowledge\u2019 under the criminal law even if they cannot verify and act on that takedown notice.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\" readability=\"3.2262295081967\">\n<div class=\"author-card\" readability=\"13\">\n<div class=\"author-card__avatar\">\n<figure class=\"author-card__image-wrap\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"author-card__image\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again-1.jpg?w=640&ssl=1\" alt=\"Derek B. Johnson\"> <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><h4 class=\"author-card__name\">Written by Derek B. Johnson<\/h4>\n<p> Derek B. Johnson is a reporter at CyberScoop, where his beat includes cybersecurity, elections and the federal government. Prior to that, he has provided award-winning coverage of cybersecurity news across the public and private sectors for various publications since 2017. Derek has a bachelor\u2019s degree in print journalism from Hofstra University in New York and a master\u2019s degree in public policy from George Mason University in Virginia. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__tags-container\">\n<h4 class=\"single-article__tags-title\">In This Story<\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<p> <\/html><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__ads js-single-article-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-5 ad--rightrail_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-4 ad--rightrail_2 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-3 ad--rightrail_3 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"popular-stories popular-stories--single-post\">\n<div class=\"popular-stories__container\">\n<h2 class=\"popular-stories__title\"> More Scoops <\/h2>\n<div class=\"popular-stories__stories\">\n<div class=\"popular-stories__cards\">\n<article class=\"post-item post-item--popular-stories-cards \" readability=\"19.954436450839\">\n<figure class=\"post-item__thumbnail\"> <a class=\"post-item__thumbnail-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/kids-online-safety-act-senate-privacy\/\" tabindex=\"-1\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"505\" height=\"337\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again-2.jpg?resize=505%2C337&ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-ratio-16-9-md size-ratio-16-9-md wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again-6.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again-6.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again-6.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again-6.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again-6.jpg?resize=1536,1025 1536w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again-6.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again-6.jpg?resize=252,168 252w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again-6.jpg?resize=505,337 505w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again-6.jpg?resize=1012,675 1012w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again-6.jpg?resize=1264,843 1264w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 505px) 100vw, 505px\"> <\/a><figcaption class=\"screen-reader-text\"> Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., left, initially introduced the Kids Online Safety Act last year. (Photo by Samuel Corum\/Getty Images) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<header class=\"post-item__meta\" readability=\"1.7590361445783\">\n<h3 class=\"post-item__title\"> <a class=\"post-item__title-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/kids-online-safety-act-senate-privacy\/\"> Children\u2019s online safety bills clear Senate hurdle despite strong civil liberties pushback <\/a> <\/h3>\n<p> Critics say the bills will make the internet less safe for kids by increasing digital surveillance and reducing access to encrypted services. <\/p>\n<div class=\"post-item__byline\"> <span class=\"post-item__author\"> <span>By <\/span> <a class=\"post-item__author-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/author\/tonya-riley\/\"> Tonya Riley <\/a> <\/span> <\/div>\n<p> <\/header>\n<p> <\/article>\n<article class=\"post-item post-item--popular-stories-cards \">\n<figure class=\"post-item__thumbnail\"> <a class=\"post-item__thumbnail-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/kids-online-safety-act-congress\/\" tabindex=\"-1\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"252\" height=\"168\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again-3.jpg?resize=252%2C168&ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-ratio-16-9-sm size-ratio-16-9-sm wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again-6.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again-6.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again-6.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again-6.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again-6.jpg?resize=1536,1025 1536w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again-6.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again-6.jpg?resize=252,168 252w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again-6.jpg?resize=505,337 505w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again-6.jpg?resize=1012,675 1012w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again-6.jpg?resize=1264,843 1264w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 252px) 100vw, 252px\"> <\/a><figcaption class=\"screen-reader-text\"> Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., left, initially introduced the Kids Online Safety Act last year. (Photo by Samuel Corum\/Getty Images) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<header class=\"post-item__meta\">\n<h3 class=\"post-item__title\"> <a class=\"post-item__title-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/kids-online-safety-act-congress\/\"> Fight over Kids Online Safety Act heats up as bill gains support in Congress <\/a> <\/h3>\n<div class=\"post-item__byline\"> <span class=\"post-item__author\"> <span>By <\/span> <a class=\"post-item__author-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/author\/tonya-riley\/\"> Tonya Riley <\/a> <\/span> <\/div>\n<p> <\/header>\n<p> <\/article>\n<article class=\"post-item post-item--popular-stories-cards \">\n<figure class=\"post-item__thumbnail\"> <a class=\"post-item__thumbnail-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/earn-it-stop-csam-encryption-privacy\/\" tabindex=\"-1\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"252\" height=\"168\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again-4.jpg?resize=252%2C168&ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-ratio-16-9-sm size-ratio-16-9-sm wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again-7.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again-7.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again-7.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again-7.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again-7.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again-7.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again-7.jpg?resize=252,168 252w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again-7.jpg?resize=506,337 506w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again-7.jpg?resize=1013,675 1013w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again-7.jpg?resize=1265,843 1265w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 252px) 100vw, 252px\"> <\/a><figcaption class=\"screen-reader-text\"> Black broken touch screen phone (Getty Images) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<header class=\"post-item__meta\">\n<h3 class=\"post-item__title\"> <a class=\"post-item__title-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/earn-it-stop-csam-encryption-privacy\/\"> Return of the EARN IT Act rekindles encryption debate at critical moment for privacy-protecting apps <\/a> <\/h3>\n<div class=\"post-item__byline\"> <span class=\"post-item__author\"> <span>By <\/span> <a class=\"post-item__author-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/author\/tonya-riley\/\"> Tonya Riley <\/a> <\/span> <\/div>\n<p> <\/header>\n<p> <\/article>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/div>\n<p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<section class=\"latest-podcasts\">\n<h2 class=\"latest-podcasts__title\"> Latest Podcasts\t<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"top-categories\">\n<div class=\"top-categories__container\">\n<h3 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{"id":7442,"date":"2025-03-12T16:48:37","date_gmt":"2025-03-12T21:48:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=83839"},"modified":"2025-03-12T16:48:37","modified_gmt":"2025-03-12T21:48:37","slug":"legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2025\/03\/12\/legislative-push-for-child-online-safety-runs-afoul-of-encryption-advocates-again\/","title":{"rendered":"Legislative push for child online safety runs afoul of encryption advocates (again)"},"content":{"rendered":"