S. 3023 · Passed Senate · Crime and Law Enforcement

Safe Cloud Storage Act

Sponsor: Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)

What it does

• Establish liability protections for cloud storage vendors contracting with federal, state, and local law enforcement to store and process child sexual abuse material in investigations.
• Prohibit civil claims or criminal charges against such vendors if they have not engaged in intentional misconduct, negligence, malice, reckless disregard, or acted outside their contractual duties.
• Require vendors storing or processing child sexual abuse material to comply with specified cybersecurity requirements.

Official summary

Safe Cloud Storage Act This bill limits the civil and criminal liability of vendors that contract with law enforcement agencies to provide digital storage services (e.g., remote or cloud-based storage) for storing, maintaining, and processing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in investigations of online child sexual exploitation. Under current law, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) receives reports of online child sexual exploitation via its CyberTipline, evaluates and prioritizes the reports, and refers the reports to law enforcement agencies to investigate. Currently, federal law limits the liability of vendors that contract directly with the NCMEC to store and transfer CSAM. However, federal law does not limit the liability of vendors that contract with law enforcement agencies to assist in investigations. This bill establishes liability protections for vendors that contract with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to store, maintain, and process CSAM in investigations of online child sexual exploitation. Specifically, the bill prohibits a civil claim or criminal charge in federal or state court against such a vendor, so long as the…

Latest action

May 21, 2026: Held at the desk.

Committee: Senate Judiciary