ASCIA Provides Letter in Support of EARN IT Act Introduced by U.S

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ASCIA Provides Letter in Support of EARN IT Act Introduced by U.S

Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies March 9, 2020 The Honorable Lindsey Graham The Honorable Dianne Feinstein Chairman Ranking Member Committee on the Judiciary Committee on the Judiciary United States Senate United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable Richard Blumenthal The Honorable Josh Hawley United States Senate United State Senate Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510 Re: EARN IT Act Dear Chairman Graham, Ranking Member Feinstein, Senator Blumenthal, and Senator Hawley: On behalf of the Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies (ASCIA), I am writing to express support for the EARN IT Act of 2020. ASCIA is a professional association representing the lead statewide criminal investigative agencies in 48 states. Child exploitation cases are some of the most disturbing to investigate given the age and innocence of the victims involved. The proliferation of online platforms has, in many ways, made it easier for perpetrators of child exploitation to commit their heinous crimes. At the same time, investigative agencies face increasing challenges when attempting to obtain digital evidence that can help stop exploitation and bring justice to those who cause harm. The EARN IT Act holds promise for improving the ability of online platforms to deter, detect, and report exploitive content. It also could lead to an improved ability for law enforcement to investigate and prosecute these crimes. In addition to the EARN IT Act, Congress should address separately the growing inability of law enforcement investigators to obtain encrypted content from devices and online platforms. ASCIA continues to urge Congress to consider a legislative requirement that providers maintain an ability to access communications and other content when a judge issues a search warrant. We commend your leadership on these important issues and look forward to working with you. Sincerely, Mark Keel President, ASCIA Chief, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division SHARING IDEAS FOR BETTER LAW ENFORCEMENT www.ascia.org .

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