Senate Bill S4531

2021-2022 Legislative Session

Requires social media networks to provide and maintain mechanisms for reporting election misinformation on their platform

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Rules Committee


  • Introduced
    • In Committee Assembly
    • In Committee Senate
    • On Floor Calendar Assembly
    • On Floor Calendar Senate
    • Passed Assembly
    • Passed Senate
  • Delivered to Governor
  • Signed By Governor

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Bill Amendments

2021-S4531 - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:
A7864
Current Committee:
Senate Rules
Law Section:
General Business Law
Laws Affected:
Add §394-ccc, Gen Bus L

2021-S4531 - Summary

Requires social media networks to provide and maintain mechanisms for reporting election misinformation on their platform.

2021-S4531 - Sponsor Memo

2021-S4531 - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4531
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 5, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  KAPLAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Internet and Technology
 
 AN ACT to amend the general  business  law,  in  relation  to  requiring
   social media networks to provide and maintain mechanisms for reporting
   election misinformation on their platform

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The general business law is amended by adding a new section
 394-ccc to read as follows:
   § 394-CCC. SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKS; ELECTION MISINFORMATION  PROHIBITED.
 1. AS USED IN THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING
 MEANINGS:
   (A)  "ELECTION  MISINFORMATION"  MEANS  A  PUBLIC  EXPRESSION,  EITHER
 VERBALLY, IN WRITING OR THROUGH IMAGES, WHICH INTENTIONALLY IS  MISLEAD-
 ING ABOUT A FEDERAL, STATE OR LOCAL ELECTION.
   (B)  "SOCIAL  MEDIA  NETWORK"  MEANS  SERVICE  PROVIDERS,  WHICH,  FOR
 PROFIT-MAKING PURPOSES, OPERATE INTERNET PLATFORMS THAT ARE DESIGNED  TO
 ENABLE  USERS  TO  SHARE  ANY  CONTENT  WITH OTHER USERS OR TO MAKE SUCH
 CONTENT AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
   2. A SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORK SHALL PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN A CLEAR AND EASI-
 LY  ACCESSIBLE  MECHANISM  FOR  INDIVIDUAL  USERS  TO  REPORT  AND  MAKE
 COMPLAINTS  OF ELECTION MISINFORMATION.  SUCH MECHANISM SHALL BE CLEARLY
 ACCESSIBLE TO USERS OF SUCH NETWORK AND  EASILY  ACCESSED  FROM  BOTH  A
 SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKS' APPLICATION AND WEBSITE.
   3.  EACH  SOCIAL  MEDIA  NETWORK SHALL HAVE A CLEAR AND CONCISE POLICY
 READILY AVAILABLE AND ACCESSIBLE ON THEIR WEBSITE AND APPLICATION  WHICH
 INCLUDES  HOW  SUCH  SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORK WILL RESPOND AND ADDRESS INCI-
 DENTS OF ELECTION MISINFORMATION WHICH HAVE BEEN REPORTED.  SUCH  POLICY
 SHALL  INCLUDE A MECHANISM TO ALLOW SUCH SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORK TO PROVIDE
 A DIRECT RESPONSE TO ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS REPORTED  POSSIBLE  ELECTION
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD08342-02-1
              

2021-S4531A (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:
A7864
Current Committee:
Senate Rules
Law Section:
General Business Law
Laws Affected:
Add §394-ccc, Gen Bus L

2021-S4531A (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires social media networks to provide and maintain mechanisms for reporting election misinformation on their platform.

2021-S4531A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2021-S4531A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  4531--A
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 5, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  KAPLAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Internet and Technology --
   committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as  amended  and
   recommitted to said committee
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the  general  business law, in relation to requiring
   social media networks to provide and maintain mechanisms for reporting
   election misinformation on their platform
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The general business law is amended by adding a new section
 394-ccc to read as follows:
   §  394-CCC. SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKS; ELECTION MISINFORMATION PROHIBITED.
 1. AS USED IN THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING
 MEANINGS:
   (A)  "ELECTION  MISINFORMATION"  MEANS  A  PUBLIC  EXPRESSION,  EITHER
 VERBALLY,  IN WRITING OR THROUGH IMAGES, WHICH INTENTIONALLY IS MISLEAD-
 ING ABOUT A FEDERAL, STATE OR LOCAL ELECTION.
   (B)  "SOCIAL  MEDIA  NETWORK"  MEANS  SERVICE  PROVIDERS,  WHICH,  FOR
 PROFIT-MAKING  PURPOSES, OPERATE INTERNET PLATFORMS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO
 ENABLE USERS TO SHARE ANY CONTENT WITH  OTHER  USERS  OR  TO  MAKE  SUCH
 CONTENT AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
   2.  A  SOCIAL  MEDIA NETWORK THAT CONDUCTS BUSINESS IN THE STATE SHALL
 PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN A CLEAR AND EASILY ACCESSIBLE MECHANISM  FOR  INDI-
 VIDUAL USERS TO REPORT INCIDENTS OF ELECTION MISINFORMATION.  SUCH MECH-
 ANISM  SHALL  BE  CLEARLY ACCESSIBLE TO USERS OF SUCH NETWORK AND EASILY
 ACCESSED FROM BOTH A SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKS' APPLICATION AND WEBSITE, AND
 SHALL ALLOW THE SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORK TO PROVIDE A DIRECT RESPONSE TO ANY
 INDIVIDUAL REPORTING ELECTION MISINFORMATION INFORMING THEM OF  HOW  THE
 MATTER IS BEING HANDLED.
   3.  EACH  SOCIAL  MEDIA  NETWORK SHALL HAVE A CLEAR AND CONCISE POLICY
 READILY AVAILABLE AND ACCESSIBLE ON THEIR WEBSITE AND APPLICATION  WHICH
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

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