Act. We will hear from those who will create courageously share their family story with us and also others will offer a perspective of current state of what i propose changes you then have the opportunity to hear from the panel of expert witnesses sharing their views that has drawn significant support. Last month senators introduced an act of 2017 with Bipartisan Group of 20 coast sponsors have grown since then including eight members of this committee. This would amend section 230 to bring to justice websites that knowingly facilitate sexual trafficking. That affects every Community Across america and everyone agrees more must me done to address the horrendous problem that is what this conversation is some port and. And helga hearing the way the providers and supply chains control the sex trafficking in the United States in that same week we introduced two bills to introduce enforcement transportation time will volva house will act soon to send them to the president s desk. But there is more than can be done. I want to be clear back page. Com has been the impetus for much of the discussion in many agree they should be held accountable but this is not the backpage. Com act. It may have suspended the Adult Services section under pressure but what about the next online even . At the same time some argue because reno where this is taking place online that Law Enforcement can better monitor to fight it such observers caution it is too broad it could have the opposite effect given this challenge the of cooperation will be critical there are many stories talking how they work with lawenforcement and victims rights fight sex trafficking but these companies have a right to do more a look for to hearing more from our witnesses will tell us more about this specific Association Member companies do to fight those who use the platforms for evil youll also hear from the California Attorney general talking about his perspective as the chief lawenforcement officer currently prosecuting a case against backpage. Com to offer insight into the legal history and also speak to a recent request by the territory a attorneys general to of course, criminal laws pertaining to sex trafficking in this arena. Today representing the National Center for missing and exploiting children and the coordinator of the National Response of exploited children and then a law professor from shanker university who spent much of his life analyzing laws and their impact on the internet to speak on those legal consequences 84 being here for his advocacy their difficult to discuss the provide a venue for these matters and i appreciate your appreciation and our discussion. What to ignore allege those have given the long leadership on efforts to combat trafficking to the Armed Service committee daiichi chairs and i would note were honored to have cindy mccain in our audience today but including senator high camp. As we have this hearing today there is the untold of the net number of women and children in the United States at this moment sold into sexual slavery through the internet. Victims from all walks of life are forced to endure a brutal and unspeakable crimes. Let me read p. Well manage let me repeat women and children are sold into modernday slavery and if that is not a wakeup call in america i dont know what is but it is the truth my fellow floridians already know all too well. According to the hot line florida is third in the country for the number of cases reported last year. A the question before us today is simple why are we do everything we can to stop this heinous practice . After all, modernday slavery and our children are the ones at risk. In the bill would help us shutdown despicable websites that promote sexual trafficking. Do not kid ourselves in a shady and highly profitable web site operators know how their sites are used they are hiding behind a shield to keep themselves from prosecution. This bill by the two senators year and a host of others that the chairman mentioned would eliminate a safe harbor for self month negative six traffickers and others and victims to go after the of websites you have a platform for sex trafficking. It would not take a sledgehammer to the internet. But instead of the sledge hammer takes a common sense responsible targeted approach that the courts tell us in to help us courage of child sex trafficking on the internet i strongly believe we cannot sit idly by while the of websites are aiding and abetting child sex traffickers the cost of inaction is way too high. We are joined today by a the legislation as a member of this committee looking forward to hearing from me to do about this legislation i appreciate you holding this hearing and your personal commitment to combat this horrific crime of sex trafficking. Many view stepped up early on that play a Critical Role this congress has done more than we had in our history but the reality it is on the increase. And for one reason that is the online sale of girls and children have to face that reality and i appreciate the fact bin i appreciate my colleague being here and the cofounders of the conference you will hear from the victims about their tragic personal story. It is heartbreaking and as the father of three there is much going on in the 21st century. In for sharing the story with us. This is the same on National Character and the fact that it is going on in this country at this time based on the information we have received from Law Enforcement for those u. S. District attorneys but they tell us that israel. With this increase on the internet by the way they do not deny that. Has that back page demonstrates three added for child sex trafficking victims has been exploited on line. This is a google executive i think they want to fight back then i see this reality myself and then they tell you the same thing. Usually drug czar involved as well. As traffickers have told me were the victims have told me this comes from probably half a dozen different victims that this has moved from the street to the smart phone last month i spoke to some of the victims chin Youngstown Ohio a young woman told me she was first sold on back page eight at age nine her father would take her from city to city for a major sporting events. Up to 20 times a day and ruthless the efficient. Is to spend the last couple of years investigating back page unfortunately we have found the web site is far more complex it it covered up evidence of its crimes to increase profits thing to remember of this panel to hold them in contempt when they refuse to provide information things to the senate for the first time in 21 Years Holding a private actor in contempt the river successful to get those 1 million documents that they were actively involved in illegal sex trafficking despite these facts to hold back page accountable has failed repeatedly because courts have ruled they have immunity under a federal rule. The 1996 law has not kept up with the times when congress enacted the law i do not believe it meant to cover serious federal crimes and the goal is to protect website operators in good faith for those that lack knowledge there posting harmful or illegal content on their site. Were all for free speech and we should have the Internet Freedom but this was never intended to protect those with illegal conduct your online predators or sexual traffickers for pro there should be the all encompassing immunity for those with sites like backpage that knowingly engage in sex trafficking. Judges have made clear it is congresss responsibility to fix this and have invited us to. The Circuit Court of appeals recognize the horrific crime that their hands were tied the remedy is through legislation and not litigation. Last month a scorer than sacramento over pending charges said if and and Tell Congress sees fit to amend the law the to 30 even applies to those to apply to those exploitation of Human Trafficking. Because of this interpretation only congress can fix this in justice. That is called stop enabling sexton of rippers act and then to knowing lease facilities sex trafficking. And those that violate the sex trafficking was this knowing standard of though legislation is say high bar. To show that knowingly assisted in online sex trafficking to be liable in the first place. To target those rogue online traffickers like backpage also that Good Samaritan provision those that screen for material. Google llord facebook but no other legitimate websites do that and it is of a lot. Support is growing for the legislation in those coalitions of faith based groups we appreciate encouragement hewlettpackard endorse legislation from Walt Disney Company asking to stop criminal sex trafficking online. The attorneys general recently urged congress to support this legislation we will hear from our for witness but let me say this. Even though it is increasing in this country it is an outrage it is the disgrace i think history will judge us on how we respond Silicon Valley is more than just another industry rather a movement to be in a better place to contribute positively but the selling of human beings on line is on the dark side of the internet. They cannot be the cost of doing business in making the world a better place. And there is something we can do about it. As legislation will help this committee can act to stop criminal sex trafficking online. Thank you for allowing me to testify the. Thanks to you and the Ranking Member to bringing us together and to think both of you for the of personal commitment on this important topic. Also senator mccain there is a very important hearing going on also he would want to be here if he could but cindy mccain is day advocate on this subject so i want to thank her as wall. Also our colleagues those that have cosponsored this bill also joining senator nelson and club charge and i want to thank others that have not yet showing wheat or talking very diligently those that are helping us to clarify. To make this legislation even more precise an accord to continuing our work with this Group Without any unintended or unforeseen consequences. We are here in large part because of these courageous young women who were each 15 years old when they were first sold for sex. Invisible but in plain sight they used coded language to indicate that they were under 18. Over the course of for years they were raped thousands of times. In 2014 these three young women have the courage to go to court to bring lawsuits against backpage. Com that this illicit facilitate sex trafficking there reviewed their case and they called this an outrage. But there were no remedies sort of legal claims that could be recognized in court because of this section in the of lot. So the court said you made this mess and now theyre in a legal black hole without justice and Congress Must fix it. That is why we are here. Is hardly new my efforts in fact, began almost day decade ago when i lead a coalition of 39 states with the online classified company craigslist and in 2010 it took down the dial Services Section but the war was far from one. So the National Center for missing and exploited children with the 846 increase in the reports of sex trafficking. So after craigs list settled a hundred 40 increase and it was directly correlated to sell children for sex. In 2015 alone the National Human trafficking hotline received 5200551 reports of incidents shutting down one website is not enough. Even if it would not occur we need to pay at pass this measure and filled of black hole. And those numbers by the way are underestimated. Think of it. Those reports that they demonstrated to brave that stigma and shame to it knowledge they have been sold for sex. So when the critics say there is said they lose of lawsuits that our unfounded think of it. They have to come forward to establish their standing under the law to make the case they have been sold for sex. There is no dilution of frivolous lawsuits. It is time to say no more. Congress stops allowing web sites to promote their profit from sex trafficking and narrowly targeted and carefully crafted and working to make them more clear and precise. Some of those Companies May wish to continue to shield from liability with that legal accountability and the vendors than that point but this is social and moral responsibility. It is time to open the courthouse doors lettuce sold into slavery that can enjoy absolute immunity for those sites that knowingly facilitate support. It did say high bar and these companies should be compelled to meet it. The cosponsors of your of legislation for the advocacy for those conversations you have entered into with the members of the senate to make sure we get this right. But we need to rack and need your leadership. As the alumni of this committee of the Communications Decency act. Section and 230 is the Legal Foundation education and jobs in the platform for free speech and i believe it should be kept intact. When we wrote this section more than two 20 years ago the internet changed everything the way we interact into business every corner of lives and society be understood no amount of legislation could stop the change but we could influence how it came about. And the key question is will there be an internet dominated by private networks of the worst impulses of human beings or is this a platform open to the world where that would be exposed to sunlight and the of what . That is why weve made it Crystal Clear that absolutely nothing in the of a statute protects against violation of federal criminal law and more importantly nothing in the statute protects individuals from the full force of a lot if they commit and believe evidence. Much on Human Behavior that those that already knew about so how do you respond . To mindlessly bludgeoning and failing to have the worst behavior to drive that underground or if they react to provide lawenforcement resources that is far more than the internet and aiding the victims of this horrendous crime. To make the internet a place of innovation and opportunity and how to address or identify and lot of these horrible criminals to create victims and destroy lives. If Law Enforcement needs more resources to crack down on these neighborhoods like backpage give them what they got to have for those who made a profit from that illegal behavior to provide a legal service. I am alongside many view on this panel for the key enforcement officials on the front lines from modern day slavery. And continue to do whatever it takes to bring support to stop this exploitation and. In the fight against sex trafficking. So that legislation considered today is the wrong answer to the important question there was a very long ago members when we have had the most success when protecting america says rights in the industrys without smothering the innovators and of think anybody says lets undermine this that created 1 trillion of economic value. That is part of the question considered today. But important to the discussion are the barriers to entry better very low another nation with more people that had a functioning Interactive Network before us have failed to dominate because of our internet was of lawyers and politicians and tax collectors hobbling growth and innovation. I am sad to say they are at work right now. I wanted to help the startups to allow them to hire engineers and developers and designers before they hired a team of lawyers for go also to protect a good actors i think we all agreed it is of better scenario and did is the central to make sure that bad actors that they should be prosecuted while online with the start up from the discriminatory state law equally important to make scheerer criminals to make changes to section 230 keep that idea of 20 years ago technology is important and have policies like section 230 in place. It is always the regular order and all colleagues as the debate goes forward. And to inform everybody we will keep rolling to figure out how touche joe gold to hear from the people that are here. [inaudible conversations] we look forward to hearing from you. Thank you chairman and Ranking Member and members for holding this committee today. When you had your first child the changes your life and become a different person your whole world revolves slipped around them. Every time you hold their hand their smile brightens your whole life. And to give them the world you thank you have forever with them cease sure to plan for their future. My daughter born march in 2000. Delight of my life, my firstborn and only daughter. And she made me a better person because she is a beautiful person a brightest smile and with your permission never like to share a photo of her with the committee. She made friends wherever she went whether on vacation or at Church Everyone wanted to be her friend. A bright student in great athlete taking joy to help others winning awards for academics and athletics and volunteering within the community. She had dreams to become a physician in the u. S. Air force and attended Airforce Academy high school on the sell side of chicago with hopes to go to school in colorado to help further her training and her future is very bright. Disarray was a good person who just wanted to be loved she struggled in the last year of her life and always tried to fit in with her friends. She knew she was loved but she wanted it wherever she could find it and was only 16 wanting to make friends we now know that adult man found her on social media and reached out and used her to make money. She was preyed upon and sold all nine of the pens to take advantage of her she did not know what backpage. Com was an arm that would come from the