Colorado is leading the nation with legislation protecting consumers from technology-facilitated abuse. SB24-011, sponsored by Senators Faith Winter and Lisa Cutter, House Majority Leader Monica Duran, and Representative Jenny Willford in collaboration with the Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CCASA), has passed and is headed for the Governor’s desk.
Drafted in response to a rising number of cases where technology has been used to facilitate sexual violence, SB24-011, Online-Facilitated Misconduct & Remote Tracking, provides Coloradans greater protections and increases accountability for technology-facilitated abuse by mandating safety policies for dating apps, requiring two-party consent for electronic tracking devices that are often used for stalking, and expanding protections for victims of AI deepfake intimate image abuse.
Throughout the legislative process, survivors detailed stories of being stalked, harassed, and sexually assaulted after meeting someone on a dating app, emphasizing that these online spaces are often “hunting grounds” for predators seeking to cause harm. During public testimony, survivor Anne-Marie Kopek shared: “My story is NOT unique. My shame and fear-induced silence is the RULE and NOT the exception in this vast, growing population of survivors. Dating app companies, multi-billion-dollar Goliaths, WILL continue to provide their platforms to predators until there is a seismic shift in their profit model.”
While online dating apps are popular, the lack of transparency and accountability by dating app corporations has made users vulnerable to perpetrators who, in many cases, have not been removed from the app when reported. One in three American women using dating apps report being sexually assaulted by someone they met on a dating app.
SB24-011:
- Mandates safety policies for dating apps, requiring specific elements such as descriptions of the types of behavior that are prohibited, guidelines for reporting misconduct, any safety measures the app employs, and information about resources for victims.
- Requires dating apps to post safety policies on their websites and mobile applications and provide them to the Attorney General’s Office.
- Mandates annual reporting to the Attorney General’s Office on reports of member misconduct and actions taken by the service against such members.
- Establishes a civil cause of action for individuals tracked without consent using a tracking device or application.
- Extends existing laws prohibiting posting private images for harassment or pecuniary gain to include computer-generated or digitally altered sexual photos, also known as deepfakes.
CCASA’s Public Policy Director, Elizabeth Newman, shared: “We are thrilled by the passage of SB24-011, a monumental achievement in our collective efforts to promote safety and justice in Colorado. With technology advancing at such a rapid pace, these updates to our laws are necessary to create safer online and in-person interactions and support survivors who have experienced technology-facilitated abuse. CCASA extends our gratitude to the brave survivors who shared their stories to help inform and pass this bill and to Senators Faith Winter and Lisa Cutter, House Majority Leader Monica Duran, and Representative Jenny Willford and all those who championed this cause.”
While the passing of SB24-011 is a significant stride, CCASA remains dedicated to advocating for further measures. We believe in building upon this success to create lasting impact and positive change.