NY State Assembly Bill 2021-A7581A

Assembly Bill A7581A

2021-2022 Legislative Session

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

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Assembly 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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Actions

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 05, 2022	referred to science and technology
Jun 09, 2021	print number 7581a
Jun 09, 2021	amend and recommit to science and technology
May 14, 2021	referred to science and technology

Bill Amendments

Original

A (Active)

2021-A7581 - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:: S4512
Current Committee:: Assembly Science And Technology
Law Section:: General Business Law
Laws Affected:: Add §394-ccc, Gen Bus L

2021-A7581 - Summary

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

2021-A7581 - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7581
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               May 14, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. FAHY -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Science and Technology
 
 AN ACT to amend the general  business  law,  in  relation  to  requiring
   social media networks to provide and maintain mechanisms for reporting
   vaccine 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; VACCINE  MISINFORMATION  PROHIBITED.
 1. AS USED IN THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING
 MEANINGS:
   (A) "VACCINE MISINFORMATION" MEANS A PUBLIC EXPRESSION, EITHER VERBAL-
 LY,  IN  WRITING  OR  THROUGH  IMAGES, WHICH INTENTIONALLY IS MISLEADING
 ABOUT VACCINES, VACCINE SIDE EFFECTS, VACCINE COMPONENTS, VACCINE  EFFI-
 CACY,  THE  RELATIONSHIP  BETWEEN  ILLNESS  AND  VACCINES,  OR ANY OTHER
 SUBSTANTIVE INFORMATION AS IT RELATES TO VACCINES.
   (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 VACCINE 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  VACCINE  MISINFORMATION WHICH HAVE BEEN REPORTED. SUCH POLICY
 SHALL INCLUDE A MECHANISM TO ALLOW SUCH SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORK TO  PROVIDE
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD08384-01-1

 A. 7581                             2
 
 A  DIRECT  RESPONSE  TO ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS REPORTED POSSIBLE VACCINE
 MISINFORMATION AND INFORM  SUCH  INDIVIDUAL  HOW  THE  MATTER  IS  BEING
 HANDLED.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it shall have become a law.

2021-A7581A (ACTIVE) - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:: S4512
Current Committee:: Assembly Science And Technology
Law Section:: General Business Law
Laws Affected:: Add §394-ccc, Gen Bus L

2021-A7581A (ACTIVE) - Summary

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

2021-A7581A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  7581--A
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               May 14, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. FAHY -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Science 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
   vaccine 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; VACCINE MISINFORMATION PROHIBITED.
 1. AS USED IN THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING
 MEANINGS:
   (A) "VACCINE MISINFORMATION" MEANS A PUBLIC EXPRESSION, EITHER VERBAL-
 LY, IN WRITING OR THROUGH  IMAGES,  WHICH  INTENTIONALLY  IS  MISLEADING
 ABOUT  VACCINES, VACCINE SIDE EFFECTS, VACCINE COMPONENTS, VACCINE EFFI-
 CACY, THE RELATIONSHIP  BETWEEN  ILLNESS  AND  VACCINES,  OR  ANY  OTHER
 SUBSTANTIVE INFORMATION AS IT RELATES TO VACCINES.
   (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 VACCINE 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 VACCINE MISINFORMATION INFORMING THEM  OF  HOW  THE
 MATTER IS BEING HANDLED.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD08384-04-1

 A. 7581--A                          2
 
   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 THE
 REPORTS OF INCIDENTS OF VACCINE MISINFORMATION ON THEIR PLATFORM.
   4.  NOTHING  IN  THIS  SECTION SHALL BE CONSTRUED (A) AS AN OBLIGATION
 IMPOSED ON A SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORK THAT ADVERSELY AFFECTS THE  RIGHTS  OR
 FREEDOMS  OF  ANY  PERSONS,  SUCH AS EXERCISING THE RIGHT OF FREE SPEECH
 PURSUANT TO THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE UNITED  STATES  CONSTITUTION,  OR
 (B)  TO  ADD  TO  OR  INCREASE  LIABILITY  OF A SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORK FOR
 ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE FAILURE TO PROVIDE A MECHANISM  FOR  A  USER  TO
 REPORT  TO THE SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORK ANY INCIDENTS OF VACCINE MISINFORMA-
 TION ON THEIR PLATFORM AND TO RECEIVE A RESPONSE ON SUCH REPORT.
   5. ANY SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM THAT KNOWINGLY FAILS TO COMPLY  WITH  THE
 REQUIREMENTS  OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE ASSESSED A CIVIL PENALTY FOR SUCH
 VIOLATION BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL NOT TO EXCEED  ONE  THOUSAND  DOLLARS.
 EACH  DAY  SUCH OFFENSE SHALL CONTINUE SHALL CONSTITUTE A SEPARATE ADDI-
 TIONAL VIOLATION. IN DETERMINATION OF ANY SUCH VIOLATION,  THE  ATTORNEY
 GENERAL  SHALL  BE  AUTHORIZED TO TAKE PROOF AND MAKE A DETERMINATION OF
 THE RELEVANT FACTS AND TO ISSUE SUBPOENAS IN ACCORDANCE WITH  THE  CIVIL
 PRACTICE LAW AND RULES.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it shall have become a law.

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