In the debate over how to make the internet safer, the loudest voices often demand the most radical and often unlawful changes. While calls for digital checkpoints, government-mandated off-switches for social media and warning labels dominate the headlines, these ideas violate the protected rights of law-abiding Americans while doing nothing to get bad actors off the internet. There is a fundamental truth that is often ignored in this conversation: policymakers cannot make the online world safer without law enforcement stopping digital criminals.
This National Police Week, we’re calling attention to this critical and often overlooked solution.
NetChoice’s Digital Safety Shield for America calls for action: Investing in law enforcement. It is time for Congress to move beyond the rhetoric, fully fund the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008 and ensure the Department of Justice is enforcing it properly.
The Gap Between Policy and Reality
The PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008 was designed to be the backbone of America’s national defense against digital predators. The law established the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program, a nationwide network of coordinated task forces that connect over 5,400 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.
These are the men and women on the front lines who track down predators, rescue victims from horrific situations and ensure that those who exploit children face a judge and a jail cell, not just a ban from digital services. However, for years, this vital program has been operating with one hand tied behind its back.
Despite the explosive growth of the internet and the increasing sophistication of cyber-predators, funding for the PROTECT Act has often remained stagnant or relied on unpredictable, year-to-year appropriations. Additionally, a December 2022 report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that the DOJ has fallen into noncompliance with the law, partially due to insufficient funds to execute it. When Congress underfunds these task forces, they are leaving law enforcement defanged, tips uninvestigated and predators on the streets.
It is worth noting that Congress approved more funding for the PROTECT Act in the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) package. This was a meaningful step forward, but the law has still not reached the amount requested to execute it in full. If lawmakers are serious about increasing the safety of all Americans and our children online, they should be willing to contribute to that effort.
Law Enforcement, Not Tech Cops
Technology companies should not act as the world’s police force. While the industry should continue to innovate with better parental controls and safety features, tech companies do not have the power to put handcuffs on a criminal or put them behind bars, nor would consumers really want them to. Only law enforcement can do that.
Currently, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) receives millions of reports of suspected child sexual abuse material (CSAM) every year from tech companies. These reports are sent to law enforcement, but because of resource constraints, it is estimated that over 99% of these leads are not fully investigated. Without a robustly funded law enforcement apparatus, bad actors online will continue to operate outside the rules with a sense of impunity.
By fully funding the PROTECT Act, Congress would provide the necessary resources for:
- Specialized Training: Keeping investigators up to speed on the latest encryption and AI-generated threats.
- Forensic Tools: Speeding up the processing of digital evidence to rescue children in real-time.
- Personnel: Hiring enough agents to actually follow up on and prosecute the millions of leads reported by tech companies.
- Prevention and Public Awareness: Supporting law enforcement’s delivery of education on internet crimes against children and prevention programs that protect children before exploitation occurs.
Following the Law to Increase Public Safety
One of the primary reasons NetChoice advocates for funding the PROTECT Act over newer, more intrusive mandates like digital ID laws, bans or government design restrictions is constitutionality. Many proposals today risk violating the First Amendment rights of adults and children alike by requiring intrusive data collection and government-mandated content moderation.
In contrast, the PROTECT Act is a proven, constitutional solution. It doesn’t require every internet user to submit their papers, nor does it permit the government to determine whether your speech is “harmful.” Instead, it targets the criminals: the individuals who are actually violating the law and harming children.
A Path Forward for a Safer Internet
As we move through 2026, the digital landscape is only getting more complex. AI and deepfakes have added new layers to the dangers children face online. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel; we need to put fuel in the car.
The PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008 represents a bipartisan consensus that the government’s primary role in online safety is the pursuit of justice. It’s time for Congress to treat it as the priority it is. Fully funding this Act isn’t just a budget line item—it’s a commitment to ensuring that when a child is in danger, there is an officer on the other end of the line with the resources to help.
Policymakers should stop chasing unconstitutional, quick fixes and start investing in the experts who actually keep our children safe. It’s time to PROTECT Our Children.
Image via Unsplash.