Bill Overview
Title: PROTECT Our Children Act of 2022
Description: This bill reauthorizes through FY2024 the National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction.
Sponsors: Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-23]
Target Audience
Population: Children who use the internet
Estimated Size: 73000000
- The bill focuses on eradicating cyber threats targeting children, indicating its primary concern is the safety and wellbeing of minors.
- The reauthorization of the National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction suggests that resources will be allocated to programs designed to fight child exploitation.
- Given that the bill deals with cyber threats, all children who use the internet and digital services could potentially be affected.
- Parents and guardians of children would also be indirectly affected as they are concerned about the online safety of their children.
- Teachers and schools that provide digital learning would be stakeholders as they work to ensure a safe online environment for students.
Reasoning
- The policy is aimed at increasing the safety of children using the internet, so the direct impact is likely on parents, children, teachers, and possibly law enforcement officers focused on cybercrime.
- Given the budget constraints, the policy would likely prioritize funding towards areas with the highest incidents of cyber threats to children, such as major urban areas with high populations of children using technology.
- The cantril wellbeing scores will reflect both the perceived and real changes in online safety for children and how this affects parents' peace of mind and teachers' ability to provide safe educational environments.
Simulated Interviews
Software Engineer (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 35 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I believe technology advancement goes hand-in-hand with risks, especially for children.
- This policy seems to be a step in the right direction to safeguard kids online.
- As a parent, I constantly worry about online predators and cyberbullying.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
High School Teacher (Houston, TX)
Age: 28 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm concerned about my students' safety online.
- This policy could help us keep harmful content away from kids when they're learning.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Cybersecurity Expert (Chicago, IL)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Cyber threats are evolving, and this policy could bolster defenses against child exploitation.
- As a professional and a parent, I see the dual benefits this brings to my family and my field.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Police Officer (New York, NY)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Increased resources could help us tackle child exploitation more effectively.
- This bill is vital for protecting children, and it should help reduce our case backlog.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
College Student (Miami, FL)
Age: 22 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I worry about my younger siblings online; this policy seems like a way to reassure that we are securing internet spaces for them.
- It's crucial that we prioritize child safety online; this is a pressing issue.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Education Administrator (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Digital safety is a growing concern, and this policy has potential benefits.
- Our schools would benefit from any additional resources to protect students online.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Small Business Owner (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Our business depends on secure online transactions, and anything that makes the internet safer is favorable.
- I hope this policy will lead to broader internet security advancements.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Stay-at-home Parent (Denver, CO)
Age: 41 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm concerned about my kids' online safety on top of everything else.
- This sounds like a good step toward protecting our children from digital threats.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Freelance Writer (Portland, OR)
Age: 30 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope this policy will lead to improvements in digital safety.
- Ongoing cyber threats are a big concern for families and society as a whole.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Retired School Principal (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 65 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I saw firsthand the challenges schools face with digital threats to children.
- This policy is needed to keep our educational environments safe.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $320000000 (Low: $300000000, High: $350000000)
Year 2: $320000000 (Low: $300000000, High: $350000000)
Year 3: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 5: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- Past programs similar to the proposed act required significant investments for law enforcement training, technological development, and resource allocation.
- The short-term focus limits the duration to two years, emphasizing quick deployment and resource usage.
- Potential savings and impacts on GDP and tax revenue are more likely to occur in the indirect or long-term spectrums.