Action Alert: Protect Children & Hold Obscene Websites Accountable

Right now, children are being exposed to violent, illegal, and degrading content at levels never seen before. And commercial entities are profiting from the abuse and exploitation. 

This includes teenage victims whose images are distributed without consent, victims of sexual exploitation, and child survivors whose abuse is being monetized by commercial websites.

Given the extreme and degrading nature of obscenity, the harms are severe, and the need for a civil remedy is urgent. 

LB 978 would allow people harmed by illegal obscene material to sue the website owners to force them to remove the illegal content and to recover monetary damages for harm.

The threat of lawsuits will help reduce online exposure to harmful, extreme material and force website operators to proactively remove illegal content.

The bill explicitly targets those who distribute materials that promote or depict child sexual exploitation, ensuring penalties and civil liability for offenders. It strengthens protections for minors and holds bad actors accountable.

Kids who are harmed by such material should be able to recover damages, and those who profit from exploiting and harming children must be held accountable. 

Act Now

Submit an online comment to the Judiciary Committee in support of this bill before 8:00 AM (CST) on Thursday, February 19, to be included in the official hearing record.

• • STEP 1: Access the LB 978 bill summary page.
  • STEP 2: Click the “Submit Comments Online” button in the center of the page.
  • STEP 3: Click “I Understand” in the Written Submission pop-up window.
  • STEP 4: Select “Yes” under “Include Comment in Hearing Record,” fill out the form, and submit your comment as a “proponent.” You will receive an email asking you to confirm your comment.

TALKING POINTS

LB 978 ensures that entities publishing or distributing obscene material that is illegal under existing criminal obscenity laws can be held civilly liable in state court.

Children who are harmed by such material should be able to recover damages, and those who profit from exploiting and harming children must be held accountable. 

The bill explicitly targets those who distribute materials that promote or depict child sexual exploitation, ensuring appropriate penalties and civil liability for offenders. 

I urge the committee to advance LB 978 to strengthen protections for minors and hold bad actors accountable.