PUT ON A SERVICE OR APPLICATION EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF CLOUD
STORAGE, TRANSMITTING FILES, OR FILE COLLABORATION.
4. "PUBLIC OR SEMIPUBLIC INTERNET-BASED SERVICE OR APPLICATION"
EXCLUDES A SERVICE OR APPLICATION USED TO FACILITATE COMMUNICATION WITH-
IN A BUSINESS OR ENTERPRISE AMONG EMPLOYEES OR AFFILIATES OF THE BUSI-
NESS OR ENTERPRISE, PROVIDED THAT ACCESS TO THE SERVICE OR APPLICATION
IS RESTRICTED TO EMPLOYEES OR AFFILIATES OF THE BUSINESS OR ENTERPRISE
USING THE SERVICE OR APPLICATION.
5. "SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANY" MEANS A PERSON OR ENTITY THAT OWNS OR OPER-
ATES ONE OR MORE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS.
6. "SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM" MEANS A PUBLIC OR SEMIPUBLIC INTERNET-BASED
SERVICE OR APPLICATION THAT HAS USERS IN NEW YORK AND THAT MEETS BOTH OF
THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:
(A) A SUBSTANTIAL FUNCTION OF THE SERVICE OR APPLICATION IS TO CONNECT
USERS IN ORDER TO ALLOW USERS TO INTERACT SOCIALLY WITH EACH OTHER WITH-
IN THE SERVICE OR APPLICATION. A SERVICE OR APPLICATION THAT PROVIDES
EMAIL OR DIRECT MESSAGING SERVICES SHALL NOT BE CONSIDERED TO MEET THIS
CRITERION ON THE BASIS OF THAT FUNCTION ALONE.
(B) THE SERVICE OR APPLICATION ALLOWS USERS TO DO ALL OF THE FOLLOW-
ING:
(I) CONSTRUCT A PUBLIC OR SEMIPUBLIC PROFILE FOR PURPOSES OF SIGNING
INTO AND USING THE SERVICE OR APPLICATION;
(II) POPULATE A LIST OF OTHER USERS WITH WHOM AN INDIVIDUAL SHARES A
SOCIAL CONNECTION WITHIN THE SYSTEM; AND
(III) CREATE OR POST CONTENT VIEWABLE BY OTHER USERS, INCLUDING, BUT
NOT LIMITED TO, ON MESSAGE BOARDS, IN CHAT ROOMS, OR THROUGH A LANDING
PAGE OR MAIN FEED THAT PRESENTS THE USER WITH CONTENT GENERATED BY OTHER
USERS.
§ 1101. REQUIRED OPEN API ACCESS WITH SOCIAL MEDIA FOR THIRD-PARTY
DEVELOPMENT TOOLS. 1. A SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM MUST IMPLEMENT AND MAIN-
TAIN A STANDARDS-BASED APPLICATION PROGRAMMING INTERFACE THAT PERMITS
THIRD-PARTY APPLICATIONS TO RETRIEVE DATA SPECIFIED IN SUBDIVISION TWO
OF THIS SECTION AT NO COST, AND FOR A USER OR A USER'S AUTHORIZED REPRE-
SENTATIVE, TO BE USED FOR THE USER'S BENEFIT.
2. A SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM MUST PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION TO
ITS CURRENT USERS OR THEIR AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES THROUGH THE API
CONSISTENT WITH SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION:
(A) THE USER'S PERSONAL DATA THAT THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM CONTROLS,
INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION:
(I) DATA GENERALLY AVAILABLE TO ACCOUNT HOLDERS, INCLUDING USER'S
NAME, USERNAME OR HANDLE, PROFILE PHOTO, BIO, AND LOCATION;
(II) USER DATA OR DATA BASED ON ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE USER GENERATED BY
A USER COLLECTED BY THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM THAT FORMS THE BASIS FOR
SOCIAL RECOMMENDATIONS, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION USER FOLLOWS AND
PUBLICLY AVAILABLE FOLLOWER DATA, AS WELL AS THE SOCIAL RECOMMENDATIONS,
GROUPS, TOPICS, BOARDS, AND HASHTAGS, USERS MAY FOLLOW;
(III) THIRD-PARTY DATA WHICH IS EITHER (A) GENERALLY AVAILABLE TO ALL
ACCOUNT HOLDERS, OR (B) MADE AVAILABLE TO THE USER BY THE ACTION OF THAT
THIRD PARTY, AND WHICH IS COLLECTED BY THE SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANY TO MAKE
CONTENT DECISIONS THAT DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY IMPACT A USER; AND
(IV) USER SETTINGS, INCLUDING NOTIFICATION AND PRIVACY SETTINGS,
MUTED/BLOCKED ACCOUNTS AND KEYWORDS.
(B) SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM PRODUCED OR RECOMMENDED DATA THAT IS AVAIL-
ABLE TO THE USER, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION:
S. 6686 3
(I) CONTENT THAT IS DIRECTED OR RECOMMENDED TO THE USER BY THE SOCIAL
MEDIA PLATFORM IN SURFACE AREAS, INCLUDING DIRECT MESSAGES, COMMENTS ON
USER POSTS, MENTIONS, TAGGED COMMENTS, AND TAGGED STORIES;
(II) SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM PRODUCED DATA OR COMPILATIONS OF DATA THAT
IS VISIBLE IN PERSONALIZED SURFACE AREAS, INCLUDING TIMELINE AND RECOM-
MENDATIONS;
(III) CONTENT FREELY AVAILABLE TO A USER AS A RESULT OF A USER'S
ACTIONS, INCLUDING CONTENT GENERALLY AVAILABLE TO GROUPS, SERVERS, AND
COMMUNITIES JOINED BY THE USER; AND
(IV) NOTIFICATIONS REGARDING ACTIONS ON THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM.
(C) DATA THAT IS GENERALLY AVAILABLE TO ALL ACCOUNT HOLDERS ABOUT THE
USER'S FRIENDS OR FOLLOWERS THAT THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM USES TO MAKE
FILTERING OR RANKING DECISIONS RELATING TO A USER, INCLUDING, WITHOUT
LIMITATION, DATA THAT IS AVAILABLE TO THE USER ABOUT OTHER ACCOUNTS ON
THE PLATFORM, INCLUDING NAME, USERNAME OR HANDLE, PROFILE PHOTO AND
NUMBER OF FOLLOWERS OR PERSONS FOLLOWING.
3. A SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM MUST PROVIDE ACCESS THROUGH THE API NECES-
SARY TO ALLOW THIRD-PARTY APPLICATIONS ON BEHALF OF ANY CURRENT USER TO
WRITE, UPDATE OR TAKE ACTION ON:
(A) THE USER'S PERSONAL DATA THAT THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM CONTROLS,
INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION:
(I) DATA THAT IS GENERALLY AVAILABLE TO ALL ACCOUNT HOLDERS, INCLUDING
USER'S NAME, USERNAME OR HANDLE, PROFILE PHOTO, BIO, AND LOCATION;
(II) USER DATA AND DATA GENERATED BY A USER AND COLLECTED BY THE
SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM THAT FORMS THE BASIS FOR SOCIAL RECOMMENDATIONS,
INCLUDING USER FOLLOWS AND FOLLOWER DATA, AS WELL AS THE TOPICS USERS
MAY FOLLOW;
(III) THIRD-PARTY DATA WHICH IS EITHER (A) GENERALLY AVAILABLE TO ALL
ACCOUNT HOLDERS, OR (B) MADE AVAILABLE TO USER BY THE ACTION OF THE
THIRD PARTY, AND WHICH IS COLLECTED BY THE SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANY TO MAKE
USER SAFETY DECISIONS, INCLUDING WHO USERS BLOCK AND MUTE; AND
(IV) USER SETTINGS, INCLUDING NOTIFICATION AND PRIVACY SETTINGS, AND
MUTED/BLOCKED KEYWORDS.
(B) ALL SAFETY OR PREFERENCE CONTROLS THAT CAN BE APPLIED TO OTHER
USERS AND CONTENT, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, MUTING, BLOCKING,
REPORTING, HIDING COMMENTS OR REPLIES, ACCEPTING USER REQUESTS, OR
RELATED CONTROLS.
4. A SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM MUST CONDUCT ROUTINE TESTING, CONDUCTED NOT
LESS THAN QUARTERLY, CONDUCT ONGOING MONITORING, AND MAKE ALL UPDATES
NECESSARY TO ENSURE THE API FUNCTIONS PROPERLY, INCLUDING:
(A) ASSESSMENTS TO VERIFY THAT THE API IS FULLY AND SUCCESSFULLY
IMPLEMENTING PRIVACY AND SECURITY FEATURES.
(B) A STATUS DASHBOARD TO ALLOW DEVELOPERS TO DETERMINE THE OPERATION-
ALITY OF THE API.
(C) FUNCTIONALITY TO ENABLE PIECEWISE RETRIEVAL OF LARGE DATA SETS,
INCLUDING FILTERING, SORTING, AND PAGINATION, OR ABILITY TO QUERY DELTAS
SINCE A GIVEN TIMESTAMP.
(D) MAXIMUM LATENCY THRESHOLDS NECESSARY TO ALLOW DEVELOPERS TO ACCESS
ANY REQUIRED DATA IN A REASONABLE MANNER.
(E) REASONABLE ERROR HANDLING, INCLUDING STANDARD ERROR CODES.
(F) VERSIONING OF THE API.
5. A SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM MUST MAKE PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE, BY POSTING
DIRECTLY ON ITS WEBSITE OR VIA A PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE HYPERLINK OR HYPER-
LINKS, COMPLETE ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTATION REASONABLY NECESSARY FOR
DEVELOPERS TO ACCESS THE API. THIS DOCUMENTATION SHALL INCLUDE, WITHOUT
LIMITATION:
S. 6686 4
(A) API SYNTAX, FUNCTION NAMES, REQUIRED AND OPTIONAL PARAMETERS
SUPPORTED AND THEIR DATA TYPES, RETURN VARIABLES AND THEIR
TYPES/STRUCTURES, EXCEPTIONS AND EXCEPTION HANDLING METHODS AND THEIR
RETURNS, AS WELL AS SAMPLE DATA FOR EACH DATA TYPE.
(B) THE SOFTWARE COMPONENTS AND CONFIGURATIONS AN APPLICATION MUST USE
IN ORDER TO SUCCESSFULLY INTERACT WITH THE API AND PROCESS ITS RESPONSE
OR RESPONSES.
(C) ALL APPLICABLE TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS AND ATTRIBUTES NECESSARY FOR
AN APPLICATION TO BE REGISTERED WITH ANY AUTHORIZATION SERVER OR SERVERS
DEPLOYED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE API.
(D) CHANGE LOGS FOR ANY UPDATES TO THE API.
6. A SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM MAY DENY OR DISCONTINUE ANY USER OR AUTHOR-
IZED REPRESENTATIVE'S APPLICATION'S ACCESS TO THE API IF:
(A) THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM REASONABLY DETERMINES, CONSISTENT WITH
ACCESS REQUIREMENTS CLEARLY ESTABLISHED IN ITS TERMS AND CONDITIONS,
THAT ALLOWING A USER OR AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE TO CONNECT OR REMAIN
CONNECTED TO THE API WOULD PRESENT AN UNACCEPTABLE LEVEL OF RISK TO THE
SECURITY OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM OR ITS USERS; AND
(B) THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM MAKES THIS DETERMINATION USING OBJEC-
TIVE, VERIFIABLE CRITERIA THAT ARE APPLIED FAIRLY AND CONSISTENTLY
ACROSS ALL APPLICATIONS AND DEVELOPERS THROUGH WHICH USERS MAY SEEK
ACCESS TO THE PLATFORM; PROVIDED THAT THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM MUST
RETAIN RECORDS OF ANY DECISION TO RESTRICT API ACCESS TO ANY USER OR
AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE, INCLUDING THE USER, DATE, TIME, DOCUMENTED
MISUSE AND RECORD OF NOTIFICATION OF VIOLATION.
§ 1102. API ACCESS REPORT. 1. ON A SEMIANNUAL BASIS IN ACCORDANCE WITH
SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION, A SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANY SHALL SUBMIT TO
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AN API ACCESS REPORT. THE API ACCESS REPORT SHALL
INCLUDE, FOR EACH SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM OWNED OR OPERATED BY THE COMPA-
NY, INFORMATION ON API UTILIZATION AND ACCESS DECISIONS MADE PURSUANT TO
SECTION ELEVEN HUNDRED ONE OF THIS ARTICLE, INCLUDING ALL OF THE FOLLOW-
ING:
(A) THE CURRENT FEATURES INCLUDED IN THE API;
(B) IF A SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANY HAS FILED ITS FIRST REPORT, A COMPLETE
AND DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ANY CHANGES TO THE API SINCE THE PREVIOUS
REPORT;
(C) A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF HOW THE SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANY HAS
RESPONDED TO ADDITIONAL FEATURES ADDED TO THE PLATFORM SINCE THE PREVI-
OUS API ACCESS REPORT; AND
(D) ANY DENIALS OR DISCONTINUATIONS OF ANY PERSON TO THE API, INCLUD-
ING A COMPLETE AND DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE BASES FOR SUCH DENIAL OR
DISCONTINUATION.
2. (A) A SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANY SHALL ELECTRONICALLY SUBMIT A SEMIANNUAL
API ACCESS REPORT PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION, COVERING
ACTIVITY WITHIN THE THIRD AND FOURTH QUARTERS OF THE PRECEDING CALENDAR
YEAR, TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL NO LATER THAN APRIL FIRST OF EACH YEAR,
AND SHALL ELECTRONICALLY SUBMIT A SEMIANNUAL API ACCESS REPORT PURSUANT
TO SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION, COVERING ACTIVITY WITHIN THE FIRST
AND SECOND QUARTERS OF THE CURRENT CALENDAR YEAR, TO THE ATTORNEY GENER-
AL NO LATER THAN OCTOBER FIRST OF EACH YEAR.
(B) NOTWITHSTANDING PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION, A SOCIAL MEDIA
COMPANY SHALL ELECTRONICALLY SUBMIT ITS FIRST API ACCESS REPORT PURSUANT
TO SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION, COVERING ACTIVITY WITHIN THE THIRD
QUARTER OF TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FOUR, TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL NO LATER
THAN JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE, AND SHALL ELECTRONICALLY
SUBMIT ITS SECOND API ACCESS REPORT PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS
S. 6686 5
SECTION, COVERING ACTIVITY WITHIN THE FOURTH QUARTER OF TWO THOUSAND
TWENTY-FOUR, TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL NO LATER THAN APRIL FIRST, TWO
THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE. A SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM SHALL SUBMIT ITS THIRD
REPORT NO LATER THAN OCTOBER FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE, IN ACCORD-
ANCE WITH PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
3. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SHALL MAKE ALL API ACCESS REPORTS SUBMITTED
PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC IN A SEARCHABLE REPOSI-
TORY ON ITS OFFICIAL INTERNET WEBSITE.
§ 1103. VIOLATIONS AND REMEDIES. 1. (A) A SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANY THAT
VIOLATES THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ARTICLE MAY BE ENJOINED IN ANY COURT OF
COMPETENT JURISDICTION.
(B) A SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANY SHALL BE CONSIDERED IN VIOLATION OF THE
PROVISIONS OF THIS ARTICLE IF THE SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANY DOES ANY OF THE
FOLLOWING:
(I) FAILS TO PROVIDE OR MAINTAIN OPEN API ACCESS IN ACCORDANCE WITH
SECTION ELEVEN HUNDRED ONE OF THIS ARTICLE;
(II) FAILS TO TIMELY SUBMIT TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL REPORTS REQUIRED
PURSUANT TO SECTION ELEVEN HUNDRED TWO OF THIS ARTICLE; OR
(III) MATERIALLY OMITS OR MISREPRESENTS REQUIRED INFORMATION IN A
REPORT SUBMITTED PURSUANT TO SECTION ELEVEN HUNDRED TWO OF THIS ARTICLE.
2. ACTIONS FOR RELIEF PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE SHALL BE PROSECUTED
EXCLUSIVELY IN A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
IN THE NAME OF THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK OR A CITY CORPORATION
COUNSEL ON BEHALF OF A LOCALITY UPON THEIR OWN COMPLAINT OR UPON THE
COMPLAINT OF A BOARD, OFFICER, PERSON, CORPORATION, OR ASSOCIATION.
§ 1104. APPLICATION. THIS ARTICLE SHALL NOT APPLY TO A SOCIAL MEDIA
COMPANY THAT GENERATED LESS THAN ONE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS IN GROSS
REVENUE DURING THE PRECEDING CALENDAR YEAR OR TO AN INTERNET-BASED
SERVICE OR APPLICATION FOR WHICH INTERACTIONS BETWEEN USERS ARE LIMITED
TO DIRECT MESSAGES, COMMERCIAL TRANSACTIONS, CONSUMER REVIEWS OF
PRODUCTS, SELLERS, SERVICES, EVENTS, OR PLACES, OR ANY COMBINATION THER-
EOF.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
it shall have become a law.
This should also take into consideration streaming sites, like Audible or Netflix. The bill should take them into consideration under the umbrella of "social media" and more clearly indicate them.