On March 25, 2022, Jennifer Buta’s son, Jordan DeMay, died by suicide after falling victim to “financial sextortion” by two brothers from Nigeria who posed as a young woman online. The brothers tricked DeMay into sending a sexually explicit image and then demanded payment, taunting him to end his life when he refused. This tragic incident is part of a larger issue of sextortion and cyberbullying, leading Congress to pass legislation to address the problem. The bill, known as the REPORT Act, will modernize how child sexual abuse material is stored and reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), with President Joe Biden expected to sign it into law soon.
Buta has become an advocate for preventing similar tragedies, sharing Jordan’s story in the hope of saving other children’s lives. She emphasized the urgency of addressing financial sextortion, which is a rapidly growing crime among teenagers. The bipartisan legislation was introduced by Senators Marsha Blackburn and Jon Ossoff, as well as several representatives from different states. The act aims to hold online platforms accountable by requiring them to report child sex trafficking and online enticement to NCMEC’s tip line, which is currently overwhelmed and in need of modernization.
Once the REPORT Act becomes law, online platforms and social media companies will have new reporting requirements related to child sexual exploitation. This includes preserving evidence submitted to NCMEC’s tip line for a longer period and using modern technology like cloud storage for transferring and storing information. Yiota Souras, the chief legal officer for NCMEC, highlighted the importance of retaining reported content for investigations and providing crucial information to law enforcement. The bill represents a significant step in putting enforcement mechanisms in place for social media platforms, according to the senators.
Senator Ossoff emphasized the historic nature of the legislation in protecting children online, acknowledging the nightmare of online predators preying on young individuals. Buta believes that laws like the REPORT Act, along with others such as the Kids Online Safety Act, could have potentially prevented her son’s tragic death. She receives numerous messages from parents who struggle to report such incidents, and hopes that the legislation will provide a streamlined process for reporting and ensure that children feel comfortable coming forward. By addressing the issue of online exploitation and improving reporting mechanisms, the new law aims to make a difference in protecting vulnerable children from harm.
