Platform Accountability and Transparency Act
Latest action (8 Jun 2023): Introduced
What this bill does
S. 1876, the Platform Accountability and Transparency Act, would create a formal system letting outside researchers access certain data held by large social media and similar platforms in order to study their effects on society. The National Science Foundation, working with the Federal Trade Commission, would review and approve "qualified research projects" and identify what platform data—called "qualified data and information"—could be shared, subject to privacy and cybersecurity safeguards. Certain sensitive categories, such as private messages, biometric data, and precise location data, would be excluded from sharing. The bill also creates a separate safe harbor protecting journalists and researchers from civil or criminal liability for certain public-interest data collection methods (such as automated collection of public information or use of research accounts), once the FTC issues implementing regulations.
The bill affects large online platforms with at least 50 million U.S. monthly users, academic and nonprofit researchers seeking platform data, and the FTC and NSF, which would administer the approval process, set safeguards, handle appeals, and enforce compliance (with noncompliance treated as an unfair or deceptive practice under FTC law). Platform users would receive some added transparency about how their data may be used for approved research. Law enforcement and intelligence agency-affiliated researchers are excluded from participating, and government entities are barred from obtaining shared research data.
The bill was introduced in the Senate on June 8, 2023, by Senator Christopher Coons with bipartisan cosponsors, and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. It has not received a vote and, according to official records, did not advance further in the 118th Congress.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
This bill was introduced on June 8, 2023, in a previous session of Congress, but it did not receive a vote.
Common questions
- What does S. 1876 do?
- S. 1876, the Platform Accountability and Transparency Act, would create a formal system letting outside researchers access certain data held by large social media and similar platforms in order to study their effects on society. The National Science Foundation, working with the Federal Trade Commission, would review and approve "qualified research projects" and identify what platform data—called "qualified data and information"—could be shared, subject to privacy and cybersecurity safeguards. Certain sensitive categories, such as private messages, biometric data, and precise location data, would be excluded from sharing. The bill also creates a separate safe harbor protecting journalists and researchers from civil or criminal liability for certain public-interest data collection methods (such as automated collection of public information or use of research accounts), once the FTC issues implementing regulations. The bill affects large online platforms with at least 50 million U.S. monthly users, academic and nonprofit researchers seeking platform data, and the FTC and NSF, which would administer the approval process, set safeguards, handle appeals, and enforce compliance (with noncompliance treated as an unfair or deceptive practice under FTC law). Platform users would receive some added transparency about how their data may be used for approved research. Law enforcement and intelligence agency-affiliated researchers are excluded from participating, and government entities are barred from obtaining shared research data. The bill was introduced in the Senate on June 8, 2023, by Senator Christopher Coons with bipartisan cosponsors, and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. It has not received a vote and, according to official records, did not advance further in the 118th Congress.
- Has S. 1876 become law?
- Not yet. As of 8 Jun 2023, S. 1876 is introduced.
- Who sponsored S. 1876?
- S. 1876 was sponsored by Sen. Christopher Coons [D-DE] (Democrat-DE), with 5 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on S. 1876?
- Introduced (8 Jun 2023).
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