Digital Social Platform Transparency Act
The source supplies the latest action, but no lifecycle stage.
Latest action (24 Jul 2024): Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
What this bill does
The Digital Social Platform Transparency Act, introduced in the House of Representatives, would require large digital social platforms to publicly post their terms of service. These terms would need to detail how users can report content violating those terms, as well as potential actions the platform may take against users or content. Additionally, platforms would have to submit semiannual reports to the Department of Justice detailing their terms of service, definitions of content categories like hate speech and disinformation, content moderation policies, and how they handle flagged content.
These requirements apply to platforms that allow users to interact socially by creating and viewing content and generate over $100 million in annual gross revenue. Platforms primarily focused on email, consumer transactions, or business-internal communications are excluded. The Department of Justice would be responsible for making the submitted reports publicly available online.
The bill has been introduced and referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. If enacted, digital social companies would face daily fines for failing to report required information or misrepresenting it. The bill also includes provisions for making interpretations and determinations by the Attorney General subject to judicial deference.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
Digital Social Platform Transparency Act
This bill requires large digital social platforms, or their parent companies, to make certain public disclosures about platforms' terms of service, responses to content flagged as violating those terms, and content moderation policies. The bill directs digital social platforms to post their terms of service publicly, and such terms must include a description of the mechanisms through which users may report content that violates the terms.
The bill also requires each platform to submit semiannual reports to the Department of Justice (DOJ) that include, among other disclosures
• the platform’s current terms of service;• a statement of whether and how certain categories of content are defined in the platform’s terms, including hate speech, racism, disinformation, harassment, and foreign political interference;• a description of the platform’s content moderation policies; and• reports on flagged violations of the platform’s terms of service and the disposition of any flagged content.
DOJ must make such reports publicly available online. The bill imposes a per-day fine on platforms that fail to report or misrepresent required information.
Under the bill, digital social platforms are defined as internet-based platforms that function primarily to allow users to interact socially by creating and viewing content and which generate more than $100 million in annual gross revenue. Some categories of online platforms are explicitly excluded, including those that primarily facilitate email communications and consumer transactions.
Timeline
24 Jul 2024
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Common questions
- What does H.R. 9126 do?
- The Digital Social Platform Transparency Act, introduced in the House of Representatives, would require large digital social platforms to publicly post their terms of service. These terms would need to detail how users can report content violating those terms, as well as potential actions the platform may take against users or content. Additionally, platforms would have to submit semiannual reports to the Department of Justice detailing their terms of service, definitions of content categories like hate speech and disinformation, content moderation policies, and how they handle flagged content. These requirements apply to platforms that allow users to interact socially by creating and viewing content and generate over $100 million in annual gross revenue. Platforms primarily focused on email, consumer transactions, or business-internal communications are excluded. The Department of Justice would be responsible for making the submitted reports publicly available online. The bill has been introduced and referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. If enacted, digital social companies would face daily fines for failing to report required information or misrepresenting it. The bill also includes provisions for making interpretations and determinations by the Attorney General subject to judicial deference.
- Has H.R. 9126 become law?
- The source does not supply a confirmed lifecycle stage for H.R. 9126. Check the latest action and official source below.
- Who sponsored H.R. 9126?
- H.R. 9126 was sponsored by Rep. Porter, Katie [D-CA-47] (D-CA), with 0 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on H.R. 9126?
- Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. (24 Jul 2024).
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