A key part of NetChoice’s SHIELD campaign is focused on industry and government working together to help create a more positive online experience for all Americans, especially young people.
As I discussed in my latest blog for SHIELD, the Justice Department is not properly enforcing an important law that already exists to keep kids safe online—the PROTECT Act of 2008. NetChoice calls on policymakers to start HOLD-ing predators accountable by better enforcing this law.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently launched an additional partnership for industry and government to work together to protect children online—Know2Protect. Some of its key partners include Google, Meta and Snap, Inc.
NetChoice applauds DHS and its partners for launching this resource and educating the public on this critical issue.
Know2Protect is a significant public-private partnership focused on addressing the problem of online child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA). This initiative aligns exactly with NetChoice’s “E” and “L” components of SHIELD, “Empower” and “Launch.” These are easy to use educational tools that will help individuals, families, organizations and communities better understand how to stay safe and secure online.
It has several essential components, including:
Educational Focus
The campaign seeks to educate young people, parents and trusted adults on prevention, how to report incidents and where to find support for victims. This educational component is crucial to empower individuals and families with the knowledge needed to protect themselves and others.
Tech Industry Support
The involvement of major tech companies like Google, Meta, and Snap highlights the key role the tech industry is playing in combating CSEA. These companies are not only providing resources to enhance the campaign’s reach, but they are also integral in identifying and reporting incidents of CSEA through their platforms to the appropriate centers.
Comprehensive Resources
The campaign’s dedicated website, Know2Protect.gov, serves as an easy-to-use and access central hub for resources and tools that are vital for education and prevention efforts.
Broad Coalition
The creation of a more active partnership between various organizations, including national sports leagues and law enforcement associations, aims to amplify the campaign’s message widely, leveraging the influence and reach of these groups. This will ultimately make the tool more effective and useful.
Despite the proactive efforts of the tech industry in identifying and reporting suspected CSEA incidents, a major challenge still remains with the actual investigation and prosecution of these cases. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) received over 36 million reports, but due to the lack of adequate law enforcement resources, less than 1% of these cases are being investigated.
This gap underscores the need for not only better enforcement of existing laws like the PROTECT Our Children Act mentioned above, but also the passage of additional legislative support from the bipartisan Invest in Child Safety Act to ensure law enforcement has the necessary resources to investigate and prosecute these horrific crimes.
The Know2Protect campaign illustrates the importance of collaborative efforts between the public and private sectors, as well as the need for substantial support and compliance with existing and future legislation to effectively combat online child exploitation and create a better online environment for users. NetChoice applauds this effort and looks forward to supporting and elevating these resources.
To access the Know2Protect campaign, click here.
To learn more about NetChoice’s SHIELD efforts, click here.
Watch the Know2Protect launch video here: