Sen. Berthel Joins Watertown Police Det. Mark Conway to Protect Children From Internet Sexual Abuse

HARTFORD – State Sen. Eric Berthel (R-Watertown) on March 10 joined Watertown Police Det. Mark Conway during the Judiciary Committee’s public hearing to support S.B. 1439, a bill that aligns Connecticut’s definition of “child sexual abuse material” (CSAM) with the federal definition of “child pornography.”

Connecticut’s current definition of CSAM refers to material involving individuals under the age of 16. However, with the rise of AI-generated material featuring likenesses of children who are not statutorily recognized as persons, there is now ambiguity over whether the depicted individuals are real or created digitally. This bill seeks to close that gap by including individuals who “appear indistinguishable” from someone under 16, aligning with federal law and many other states.

“Just as technology has evolved, so have criminals seeking to harm kids,” said Sen. Berthel. “This bill is a commonsense way to address this disturbing new reality and ensure Connecticut conforms with longstanding federal law. CSAM affects all kids, regardless of their background, and it’s our duty to protect them because they are Connecticut’s future,” said Sen. Berthel

Det. Conway added, “Artificially generated (AI) kids are generally the combination of many real images, and though not a real ‘person’, these depictions fuel the offenders to further sexually exploit or abuse children.”

Det. Conway, a 23-year law enforcement veteran, serves on the Connecticut Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and has been investigating child sexual abuse and exploitation for the past 16 years.