Kids Are Dying Without This Law: Pass Kids Online Safety Act NOW!

15-year-old Riley barely used social media, but he had joined Facebook looking to buy a snowmobile off of its marketplace. This Facebook account, created out of a young boy’s passion for the outdoors, became the catalyst for a tragedy.  

It was a typical Tuesday and Riley was walking home after feeding the family cows. He began chatting on Facebook with another user, who he thought was a teenage girl. But things quickly took a turn for the worse.  

This supposed teenage girl turned out to be a scammer, who had manipulated Riley into sending them sexually explicit images. They began making threats and demanding money. When Riley couldn’t give them what they wanted, the scammer threatened to leak Riley’s sexually explicit images.  

Tragically, the panic and embarrassment Riley felt as a result of this sextortion drove him to take his own life. 

It’s heartbreaking to say that Riley, whose story has been shared with the consent of his family, is just one of many teens who have died after being targeted by predators on social media. 

Tech companies have shown us time and time again, that no matter how much we push them, they will not make the necessary changes to protect their users, which is why we must force their hand. 

On Episode 5 of “The Movement,” we are urging Congress to pass the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), the most comprehensive bill for child protection online! 

📣ACTION: Urge Your Representatives to Pass KOSA!

The How and Why of Preventing Childhood Pornography Exposure

Marco (pseudonym) was 11-years-old when he was first exposed to pornography. He watched pornography whenever he got the chance, even at school and in other public places. As a young man, he mimicked what he saw in pornography by pretending to have sex with a prostituted woman. 

As time went by, he started watching and listening to more extreme pornography. Pornography users often feel the need to increase the intensity of pornography they watch in order to get the same sexual arousal. Eventually Marco felt he needed something even more intense, so he visited an erotic massage business, went to many strip clubs, and hung around brothels. 

After over a decade of this, Marco realized he was addicted to pornography and wanted to quit using it. It’s not surprising that he became addicted; he encountered it for the first time at 11 years old, and adolescents’ brains are more susceptible to addictions and other developmental effects than an adult’s brain would be. 

Marco is only one example of a child who was exposed to pornography, and how that led to a lifetime of addiction and participating in sexual exploitation.  

📣ACTION: Call on Your State Legislators to Protect Children from Pornography!

NCOSE Applauds Nomination of Pam Bondi for Attorney General

We are thrilled by the nomination of Pam Bondi for Attorney General! 

Her unwavering dedication to combating sex trafficking and protecting vulnerable individuals has made her a trailblazer in the fight against exploitation.

As Florida’s Attorney General, Pam Bondi fearlessly addressed issues others shied away from—holding sex buyers accountable, championing tech accountability for children’s safety online, and confronting the harms of pornography.

She has prioritized listening to survivors, amplifying their voices, and driving real change based on their experiences.

The Gift That Keeps on Giving (Tuesday)

Next week, many of us will sit down around the table with our families for Thanksgiving. Reminiscing on good times and expressing gratitude. What better way to express gratitude than to pay it forward? Pay it forward with a donation to NCOSE this Giving Tuesday, December 3rd.

Save up some money for your Giving Tuesday donation by making those Thanksgiving Day leftovers last and getting those Black Friday deals for your holiday shopping! 🛍

Giving Tuesday is a global campaign that encourages people to do good. It is a day dedicated to charitable contributions worldwide.

Please mark December 3rd on your calendar and be prepared to give! Any dollar amount you can contribute has an impact in the fight against sexual exploitation.

Sincerely,