(a) In General.—Pursuant to its clearinghouse role as a private, nonprofit organization and its mission to help find missing children, reduce online sexual exploitation of children and prevent future victimization, and except as provided in subsections (b) and (c), a civil claim or criminal charge against NCMEC, including any director, officer, employee, or agent of NCMEC, arising from the performance of the CyberTipline responsibilities or functions of NCMEC, as described in this section, section 2258A or 2258C of this title, or section 404 of the Missing Children’s Assistance Act (34 U.S.C. 11293), or from the efforts of NCMEC to identify child victims may not be brought in any Federal or State court.

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Terms Used In 18 USC 2258D

  • agency: includes any department, independent establishment, commission, administration, authority, board or bureau of the United States or any corporation in which the United States has a proprietary interest, unless the context shows that such term was intended to be used in a more limited sense. See 18 USC 6
  • officer: includes any person authorized by law to perform the duties of the office. See 1 USC 1
  • organization: means a person other than an individual. See 18 USC 18
  • State: means a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any other territory or possession of the United States. See 1 USC 7

(b) Intentional, Reckless, or Other Misconduct.—Subsection (a) shall not apply to a claim or charge if NCMEC, or a director, officer, employee, or agent of NCMEC—

(1) engaged in intentional misconduct; or

(2) acted, or failed to act—

(A) with actual malice;

(B) with reckless disregard to a substantial risk of causing injury without legal justification; or

(C) for a purpose unrelated to the performance of any responsibility or function under this section, section 2258A or 2258C of this title, or section 404 of the Missing Children’s Assistance Act (34 U.S.C. 11293).


(c) Ordinary Business Activities.—Subsection (a) shall not apply to an act or omission relating to an ordinary business activity, including general administration or operations, the use of motor vehicles, or personnel management.

(d) Minimizing Access.—NCMEC shall—

(1) minimize the number of employees that are provided access to any visual depiction provided under section 2258A; and

(2) ensure that any such visual depiction is permanently destroyed upon notification from a law enforcement agency.