Grammy-winning Christian singer Lauren Daigle visited Capitol Hill this week to press lawmakers to advance the bipartisan STOP CSAM Act, a measure supporters say would strengthen efforts to curb the online sexual exploitation of children.
The legislation, introduced in both the House and Senate, would tighten CyberTipline reporting requirements to make it easier to flag and remove harmful content, and seeks to promote accountability and transparency by technology companies while supporting victims, backers say.
Speaking to Fox News during her visit on Tuesday, Daigle said she was motivated to act after first learning about human trafficking in college. "A lot of predators are here, and they can sexually exploit children around the world, which is really, really tough," she said. "This act is honestly just to bring big tech to the forefront and say, ‘Hey, you have the resources to help us stop this problem.'"
Daigle encouraged members of the public who encounter alarming material online to consult resources from the International Justice Mission, which is endorsing the bill. "If you see an image or if there's something that is alarming ... They have resources that are numerous," she said. The singer said she hopes her platform will help draw attention to the issue and increase engagement with lawmakers.
Supporters of the STOP CSAM Act say the bill would make it easier for law enforcement and advocacy groups to identify and remove child sexual abuse material by clarifying reporting thresholds and improving data-sharing mechanisms. The measure also aims to require greater transparency from technology platforms about how they handle reports of abuse.
The push comes amid heightened scrutiny of major social media companies over child safety. Republican Sen. Josh Hawley opened an inquiry into Meta after reports that artificial intelligence tools were being used to generate romantic exchanges involving minors. Separately, Meta has announced new teen safety features for Instagram and Facebook intended to limit certain interactions and add protections for younger users.
Lawmakers from both parties have increasingly weighed proposals that would balance platform liability, user safety, and privacy concerns. Advocates for victims' rights and anti-trafficking organizations have urged faster action, saying technological advances have accelerated the distribution and complexity of child sexual abuse material.
Daigle, who has achieved crossover success in Christian and mainstream music markets, framed her Capitol Hill advocacy as part of a longer personal commitment. She told reporters that her concern dates back roughly 15 years and that she sees the present moment as an opportunity to press for legislative change.
The STOP CSAM Act remains under consideration by congressional committees. Supporters, including some advocacy groups and faith-based organizations, are calling on members of Congress to move the measure forward and for technology companies to increase cooperation in identifying and removing exploitative content.
Daigle's visit and public statements illustrate a growing trend of public figures engaging directly with lawmakers on policy matters tied to online safety. Congressional action on such proposals could alter reporting practices and platform responsibilities if enacted, though the specifics of implementation would depend on language finalized by lawmakers and any subsequent regulatory or judicial review.