In advance of tonight’s debate, Enough Is Enough (EIE) announced that Republican Gubernatorial Candidates Lt. Governor Pamela Evette, Sen. Joshua Kimbrell, Congressman Ralph Norman, Rom Reddy, Attorney General Alan Wilson, signed the bipartisan “2026 Children’s Internet Safety Governor’s Pledge,” to make the safety and dignity of South Carolina’s children in the digital world a top priority, if elected.
“The online exploitation and abuse of children is one of the greatest public health issues facing youth in South Carolina and throughout the United States. Kids are being irreparably harmed and even dying, as we have witnessed with South Carolina’s very own Representative Brandon Guffey’s son, Gavin, who tragically took his own life due to sextortion. It’s even more urgent than ever, and that is why we are asking each South Carolina gubernatorial candidate to pledge to prevent online child exploitation if elected. I truly believe my home state of South Carolina can become the ‘Model Child Internet Safety State’ for other states to follow if our next Governor prioritizes this critical issue through a robust legislative agenda, appointments and assertive policies. We are grateful that Lt. Gov Pamela Evett, Sen. Joshua Kimbrell, Congressman Ralph Norman, Rom Reddy, and Attorney General Alan Wilson recognize the crucial importance of this pledge to protect children online,” said Donna Rice Hughes, President and CEO, Enough Is Enough, and a native South Carolinian.
"As a mom, businesswoman, and your Lt. Governor, protecting South Carolina’s children has always been personal to me. I’m proud South Carolina became the first state in the nation to sign the Children’s Internet Safety Governor’s Pledge, and I strongly supported the Child Online Safety Act, signed into law in 2024, to require age verification on pornography websites and hold commercial entities accountable for exposing children to obscene material online. I also believe classrooms should be places for learning, not distractions. That’s why it was so important that South Carolina took action to remove cell phones from classrooms so students can stay focused, engaged, and successful. I’ll continue fighting to protect our children, strengthen parental rights, and deliver real results for South Carolina families. As Governor, I will always ensure parents, not Big Tech or government, have the final say over the safety and wellbeing of their children,” said Lt. Governor Pamela Evette.
“We live in an unprecedented time and our children are exposed to the world in the palm of their hands. I want to defend the innocence of our children to have a safe place to grow up and learn the values and principles instilled by their parents. We must ensure that, in an era of unprecedented technological advancement, our children are still able to grow as children and not be pawns in a corporate profit game,” said Sen. Joshua Kimbrell.
"In response to the South Carolina Children's Internet Safety Governor’s pledge, as governor, I pledge my full support, not just in word, but in deed, to stop the evil and rampant sexual and mental abuse that is plaguing our children and teenagers of all ages both online and offline. I am committed to empowering and holding accountable our law enforcement, judges, elected officials, and churches to track down and remove the perpetrators from society by all means necessary! I stand with Jesus who warns of offenses, ’Woe to him through whom they do come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.’ (Luke 17:1-2),” said Congressman Ralph Norman.
"South Carolina is in the top 25 percent nationally for crimes against children. I support these efforts to protect the most vulnerable,” said Rom Reddy.
“Protecting children online is not a partisan issue, and as a dad of two teenagers, this issue is personal to me. I was proud to lead the bipartisan 54-state and territory letter urging Congress to confront the growing threat of AI-generated child sexual abuse material before it becomes even more widespread. In South Carolina, however, we did not just talk about the problem, we acted. Working alongside my now-running mate, Senator Mike Reichenbach, we helped pass legislation to crack down on AI-generated CSAM and digitally morphed child exploitation images so predators cannot hide behind new technology. Artificial intelligence can be used for incredible innovation, but in the wrong hands it becomes a weapon against innocent children. As Governor, I will continue fighting to give law enforcement the tools they need to protect kids and hold offenders accountable,” said Attorney General Alan Wilson.
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster signed the first Internet Safety Governor’s Pledge in 2019.
The pledge was sent to all Republican candidates, Lt. Governor Pamela Evette, Sen. Joshua Kimbrell, Congresswoman Nancy Mace, Congressman Ralph Norman, Rom Reddy, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, last week, and will be sent to Democratic candidates this week ahead of the June 3 Democratic debate.
In 2025, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) CyberTipline received 21.3 million reports of suspected child sexual exploitation online. A 2025 C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital national survey of top health concerns of parents found they are overwhelmingly most concerned about their children’s social media use (75%), screen time (75%), and internet safety (66%).
In summary, the key Pledge tenets call on each candidate to promise, if elected, to:
1) Uphold the rule of law by ensuring the aggressive enforcement of existing state laws to prevent the sexual exploitation of children online, including the state obscenity laws, child pornography laws, sexual predation laws, and sex trafficking laws.
2) Protect and defend the innocence of America's children by advancing public policies that prevent the sexual exploitation of children in a manner that is consistent with the government's compelling interest in protecting its most vulnerable citizens.
3) Give serious consideration to establishing a Governor’s Commission elevating the efforts of our state government to examine and research the harmful public health impact of the online sexual exploitation and abuse of children (OSEAC) and the interconnection of sex trafficking, child pornography, obscene pornography, and Internet crimes against children.
4) Encourage public-private partnerships with technology companies to voluntarily reduce the threat of the internet-enabled exploitation of children and advance bipartisan legislation requiring internet technology services and platforms to improve safety measures, policies, and tools, including age verification technologies, improved best practices, safer by design implementation, user-friendly reporting mechanisms, parental control tools, and public awareness and education initiatives.
5) Consider creating a position of Children’s Internet Safety Director (or Senior Advisor to the Governor on Internet Safety) to oversee and direct the Governor’s policy and initiatives on children’s internet safety issues.
Support of the 2026 Children’s Internet Safety Governor’s Pledge in no way constitutes an endorsement of any candidate or political party.
Enough Is Enough® is a national non-partisan, non-profit organization who has led the fight to make the Internet safer for children and families since 1994. EIE's efforts are focused on combating internet p*rnography, child sexual abuse material, sexual predation, sex trafficking and cyberbullying by incorporating a four-pronged prevention strategy with shared responsibilities between the public, corporate America, government and faith community. Enough Is Enough does not endorse or oppose candidates for office.