SOCIAL MEDIA Act

Summary#

This bill requires social media platforms to set up a law enforcement portal and to publish a link to that portal on their homepage. The portal must name a lead contact, provide a phone number that connects to a United States–based call center staffed 24/7, give an email address, and explain the platform's policies about notice to users during law enforcement investigations. The bill also creates a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Platform Safety Advisory Committee of 11 members. The Committee must develop uniform reporting metrics about platforms' monitoring or removal of illegal or illicit content, referrals or collaboration with law enforcement, and responsiveness to law enforcement requests. The Committee must publish an annual, publicly available report that allows comparison between platforms. The FTC must review the Committee's recommendations, issue guidance, and platforms must submit public reports with the adopted metrics annually. The bill treats violations of the portal or reporting requirements as unfair or deceptive acts under the FTC Act and gives the FTC authority to enforce the requirements, including rulemaking.

What it means for you#

• If you use a social media site: the site must publish how it handles law enforcement investigations and whether users get notice during an investigation. You may see a link to a law enforcement portal on the platform's homepage.
• If you work in law enforcement: platforms must provide a named lead, a 24/7 U.S.-based phone line, and an email contact to help with investigations.
• If you run or manage a social media platform: you must create the portal within 90 days of enactment, publish a homepage link, and later provide regular public reports to the FTC following guidance from the new advisory committee.
• If you follow platform safety or public health issues: the advisory committee will collect and publish metrics (including counts of accounts advertising counterfeit substances or fentanyl, referral practices, legal orders received, and response times) that allow comparison across platforms.

Expenses#

No publicly available information. The bill text does not include cost estimates for federal agencies or private companies.

Proponents' View#

The bill states its purpose is to improve communications between social media platforms and law enforcement and to create an FTC advisory committee to develop uniform reporting metrics about illicit content, platform referrals to law enforcement, and platform responsiveness.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.