S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   11046
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              October 7, 2020
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of M. of A. Barclay) --
   read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations
 
 AN ACT to establish the internet media freedom task force; and providing
   for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section  1. Legislative Findings. The twenty-first century has seen an
 increasing reliance upon social media as a source of news  and  informa-
 tion.  Social media platforms allow third-party users to post content on
 an unlimited number of issues, and,  unfortunately,  though  not  solely
 designed  or  intended  for  such use, more and more people have come to
 rely on these third-party postings as their main source  of  news.  Some
 social  media platforms have recently taken it upon themselves to act as
 arbiters of truth, and have even gone so far as to block access  to  the
 President of the United States. Given the expanding use of, and reliance
 on,  these  social media platforms as a source of news, it is imperative
 that use of such platforms be open and  maintained  for  all  people  to
 ensure  that no perspective or piece of information is barred or blocked
 from view by the public at large who has come to rely on such  platforms
 for information.
   §  2.  Legislative task force on internet media freedom. A legislative
 task force on internet media freedom is hereby established to study  the
 practices  and policies of social media companies that allow the posting
 of third-party content by users, as well as  other  issues  relating  to
 dissemination  of  such  content, including but not limited to, forms of
 censorship employed by social media companies. The task force will  also
 examine  the impact social media has on elections, including the ability
 of candidates and political parties to access and use the  platform  and
 the use of censorship to unfairly benefit one candidate over another.
   § 3. Composition. (a) The task force shall consist of eight members to
 be  appointed  as  follows:  two members appointed by the speaker of the
 Assembly, two members  appointed  by  the  temporary  president  of  the
 Senate,  two  members  appointed by the minority leader of the Assembly,
 and two members appointed by the minority  leader  of  the  Senate.  All
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
              

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD17368-01-0

 A. 11046                            2
 
 appointments made by legislative leaders to the task force shall, to the
 extent  practicable,  have  backgrounds  in  news  publishing, including
 online media publishing, and/or the study of law.
   (b) Members of the task force shall serve without compensation.
   (c) The members of the task force shall elect, by a majority vote, one
 of its appointed members to serve as a chair.
   § 4. Organization. (a) The task force shall meet for the first time on
 May  first,  two  thousand  twenty-one, at which time they shall elect a
 member to serve as a chair of the task force pursuant to subdivision (c)
 of section three of this act.
   (b) The first meeting of the task force shall be  held  in  the  State
 Capitol,  in  offices  made  available  to  it  by  the Legislature. The
 location of subsequent meetings shall be at the discretion of the  chair
 of the task force.
   (c)  The  task force shall create and maintain a website that provides
 access to written submissions received by it, as well as means by  which
 individuals can submit testimony and view live and archived meetings and
 hearings of the task force.
   § 5. Hearings. The task force shall be authorized to hold public hear-
 ings  and  meetings,  and  to consult with any organization, educational
 institution, or other government entity  or  person,  to  enable  it  to
 accomplish  its  duties.  The  task force shall hold at least two public
 hearings for the purpose of soliciting public comment.
   § 6. Duties and powers. (a) To effectuate the purposes  of  this  act,
 the  task force may request and shall receive from any department, divi-
 sion, board, bureau, commission or other agency  of  the  state  or  any
 state  public  authority  such  assistance, information and data as will
 enable the task force to properly carry out its powers and duties.
   (b) The task force may hire any  necessary  staff  to  assist  in  the
 discharge  of  its  duties, and may utilize funds appropriated to it for
 necessary expenses related to the discharge of its duties.
   (c) The task force shall undertake an examination  of  existing  state
 and  federal  policies relating to publishing third-party content on the
 internet, including, but not limited to:
   (i) use of social media platforms, including, but not limited to,  who
 uses  them,  for  what  purposes are they used, and a review of usage in
 past political campaigns;
   (ii) safeguards that exist to ensure accuracy  of  information  posted
 online;
   (iii) use of censorship to restrict publication of third-party created
 content online;
   (iv)  statutory  protections  that currently exist to ensure access to
 social media platforms; and
   (v) liability shields that protect platform operators.
   § 7. Report. The task force shall draft a final report  detailing  its
 findings,  as  well as any recommendations it has on changes to state or
 federal law, and to executive agency policies, actions,  and  procedures
 relating  to the use of and access to social media. Such report shall be
 completed and delivered to the Governor, the speaker  of  the  Assembly,
 the temporary president of the Senate, the minority leader of the Assem-
 bly,  the minority leader of the Senate, and each member of the New York
 State Congressional Delegation on  or  before  December  31,  2021.  The
 report  shall also be made publicly available and posted on the websites
 of the State Assembly and Senate.
   § 8. Dissolution. Upon completion of a final report  and  delivery  as
 directed  by  this  act,  the legislative task force shall be dissolved;

 A. 11046                            3

 provided, however, that dissolution of this task force shall occur on or
 before January 1, 2022.
   §  9.  This  act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be
 deemed repealed January 1, 2022.