Words by Alabama Senator Matt Woods | Image by Al Blanton
When I first decided to run for the Alabama Legislature, I thought I had a pretty good idea of the issues I wanted to work on.
Growing Alabama’s economy. Improving education. Supporting our rural communities. Creating opportunities for families and making our state an even better place to call home.
I never imagined that my work in the Legislature would lead me to confront the ways emerging technology can be used to exploit and harm children.
I never gave a stump speech about artificial intelligence or how emerging technology could be used to exploit children. If someone had told me a few years ago that I’d spend countless hours studying criminal law and artificial intelligence, I probably wouldn’t have believed them.
I’m not a prosecutor. I’m not a detective. I’m not even an attorney. I’m simply a legislator who happens to be a father.
And somewhere along the way, those two roles began to intersect.
The more I listened to prosecutors, law enforcement officers, child advocates, legislative attorneys, and technology experts, the more I realized our laws had to evolve. Technology was changing at an incredible pace, and while most people were using artificial intelligence to improve lives, others were finding ways to exploit children.
As a father, I couldn’t ignore that. As a legislator, I didn’t believe I should. So, I started asking questions, researching, and looking for solutions.
I educated myself on how artificial intelligence works. I learned that writing criminal law isn’t simply about identifying evil. It’s about crafting laws that are constitutional, enforceable, and capable of withstanding scrutiny in the courtroom.
If a law doesn’t hold up in court, it won’t protect anyone. That is why I am grateful to my colleagues for joining me in passing the Alabama Child Protection Act.
The ACPA wasn’t the work of one legislator. It took the collaboration of lawmakers from both parties, legislative attorneys, prosecutors, investigators, victim advocates, and many others who shared one common goal: making Alabama a safer place for our kids.
Last week, the importance of the ACPA became evident once again.
A Huntsville man was arrested after investigators alleged he used software to create or alter child sexual abuse material. According to the Huntsville Police Department, the investigation began after the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children forwarded a cyber-tip to investigators.
Following months of investigation, officers executed a search warrant, recovered electronic devices, and charged the suspect with producing child sexual abuse material.
We never celebrate an arrest involving crimes against children. Every one of these cases represents unimaginable pain for victims and families, but cases like this remind us why Alabama had to modernize its laws. Criminals don’t stop adapting to new technology.
Neither can we. The Alabama Child Protection Act was written to ensure our laws recognize the realities of today’s digital world and give law enforcement and prosecutors the tools they need to pursue those who exploit children.
After passing the Alabama Child Protection Act, my eyes were opened, and I realized there was still work to be done to protect Alabama’s young people.
Last year, I was honored to carry legislation strengthening Alabama’s response to threats against our schools because every student, teacher, administrator, and school employee deserves to learn and work in a safe environment. I was also proud to sponsor Trey’s Law, ensuring that nondisclosure agreements cannot be used to silence victims in civil settlements involving sexual abuse.
Those bills addressed different problems, but they were guided by the same principle: when government can better protect innocent children, we have a responsibility to act.
That responsibility continues today. Artificial intelligence is advancing faster than any of us could have imagined. The same technology that is transforming medicine, agriculture, manufacturing, and education can also be misused by people with evil intentions.
That’s why I’m grateful to be working alongside my legislative colleagues on Alabama’s Artificial Intelligence Study Commission. Our responsibility is to understand this rapidly changing technology, encourage innovation that benefits society, and make sure our laws continue to protect people from those who would abuse it.
There will always be another challenge. Another loophole. Another technology that criminals attempt to exploit. That’s why we can never be complacent.
Sometimes public service leads you to engage with subject matter you never expected to. It challenges you to learn subjects you never imagined studying. It asks you to confront problems you wish didn’t exist.
I don’t claim to have all the answers. But I do know this: when I see something the Legislature can help fix, I’m not going to look the other way.
Protecting children should never be a partisan issue. It shouldn’t be a political issue. It is a moral responsibility.
Our children are worth every ounce of effort we can give them. They deserve laws that keep pace with a changing world, law enforcement officers equipped to stop those who would exploit them, and elected officials willing to do the hard work, even when it’s uncomfortable.
As long as I have the privilege of serving the people of Alabama, I’ll continue working with anyone who shares that commitment. Because technology will continue to evolve, and we must be ready to roll with the punches.
And while our work may never be finished, neither is our determination to protect Alabama’s children.
When I first decided to run for the Alabama Legislature, I thought I had a pretty good idea of the issues I wanted to work on.
Growing Alabama’s economy. Improving education. Supporting our rural communities. Creating opportunities for families and making our state an even better place to call home.
I never imagined that my work in the Legislature would lead me to confront the ways emerging technology can be used to exploit and harm children.
I never gave a stump speech about artificial intelligence or how emerging technology could be used to exploit children. If someone had told me a few years ago that I’d spend countless hours studying criminal law and artificial intelligence, I probably wouldn’t have believed them.
I’m not a prosecutor. I’m not a detective. I’m not even an attorney. I’m simply a legislator who happens to be a father.
And somewhere along the way, those two roles began to intersect.
The more I listened to prosecutors, law enforcement officers, child advocates, legislative attorneys, and technology experts, the more I realized our laws had to evolve. Technology was changing at an incredible pace, and while most people were using artificial intelligence to improve lives, others were finding ways to exploit children.
As a father, I couldn’t ignore that. As a legislator, I didn’t believe I should. So, I started asking questions, researching, and looking for solutions.
I educated myself on how artificial intelligence works. I learned that writing criminal law isn’t simply about identifying evil. It’s about crafting laws that are constitutional, enforceable, and capable of withstanding scrutiny in the courtroom.
If a law doesn’t hold up in court, it won’t protect anyone. That is why I am grateful to my colleagues for joining me in passing the Alabama Child Protection Act.
The ACPA wasn’t the work of one legislator. It took the collaboration of lawmakers from both parties, legislative attorneys, prosecutors, investigators, victim advocates, and many others who shared one common goal: making Alabama a safer place for our kids.
Last week, the importance of the ACPA became evident once again.
A Huntsville man was arrested after investigators alleged he used software to create or alter child sexual abuse material. According to the Huntsville Police Department, the investigation began after the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children forwarded a cyber-tip to investigators.
Following months of investigation, officers executed a search warrant, recovered electronic devices, and charged the suspect with producing child sexual abuse material.
We never celebrate an arrest involving crimes against children. Every one of these cases represents unimaginable pain for victims and families, but cases like this remind us why Alabama had to modernize its laws. Criminals don’t stop adapting to new technology.
Neither can we. The Alabama Child Protection Act was written to ensure our laws recognize the realities of today’s digital world and give law enforcement and prosecutors the tools they need to pursue those who exploit children.
After passing the Alabama Child Protection Act, my eyes were opened, and I realized there was still work to be done to protect Alabama’s young people.
Last year, I was honored to carry legislation strengthening Alabama’s response to threats against our schools because every student, teacher, administrator, and school employee deserves to learn and work in a safe environment. I was also proud to sponsor Trey’s Law, ensuring that nondisclosure agreements cannot be used to silence victims in civil settlements involving sexual abuse.
Those bills addressed different problems, but they were guided by the same principle: when government can better protect innocent children, we have a responsibility to act.
That responsibility continues today. Artificial intelligence is advancing faster than any of us could have imagined. The same technology that is transforming medicine, agriculture, manufacturing, and education can also be misused by people with evil intentions.
That’s why I’m grateful to be working alongside my legislative colleagues on Alabama’s Artificial Intelligence Study Commission. Our responsibility is to understand this rapidly changing technology, encourage innovation that benefits society, and make sure our laws continue to protect people from those who would abuse it.
There will always be another challenge. Another loophole. Another technology that criminals attempt to exploit. That’s why we can never be complacent.
Sometimes public service leads you to engage with subject matter you never expected to. It challenges you to learn subjects you never imagined studying. It asks you to confront problems you wish didn’t exist.
I don’t claim to have all the answers. But I do know this: when I see something the Legislature can help fix, I’m not going to look the other way.
Protecting children should never be a partisan issue. It shouldn’t be a political issue. It is a moral responsibility.
Our children are worth every ounce of effort we can give them. They deserve laws that keep pace with a changing world, law enforcement officers equipped to stop those who would exploit them, and elected officials willing to do the hard work, even when it’s uncomfortable.
As long as I have the privilege of serving the people of Alabama, I’ll continue working with anyone who shares that commitment. Because technology will continue to evolve, and we must be ready to roll with the punches.
And while our work may never be finished, neither is our determination to protect Alabama’s children. WL
