§ 70-c. Task force on social media and violent extremism. 1.
Establishment and organization. (a) There is hereby established a task
force on social media and violent extremism within the department of
law.

(b) The attorney general may appoint or assign a deputy attorney
general and/or one or more assistants to serve on the task force.

(c) The mission of the task force on social media and violent
extremism shall be to study, investigate, and make recommendations
relating to the use, operations, policies, programs, and practices of
online social media companies and any role they may have in promoting,
facilitating, and providing platforms for individuals and groups to plan
and promote acts of violence, including but not limited to, the use of
such platforms to: initiate threats against public safety or against a
specific group of individuals based on an actual or perceived
classification or characteristic; communicate or plan for criminal
activity, including but not limited to, hate crimes, acts of domestic
terrorism, or acts of domestic terrorism motivated by hate; spread
extremist content; and aid in the radicalization and mobilization of
extremist individuals or groups.

2. Functions and duties. Subject to appropriations made available
therefor, the task force shall have the following duties and
responsibilities:

(a) to receive and investigate complaints from any source, or upon its
own initiative, allegations involving the use and role of social media
platforms in broadcasting, streaming, promoting, or otherwise
facilitating acts of violence as described in paragraph (c) of
subdivision one of this section;

(b) to determine, with respect to such allegations, whether social
media companies may be civilly or criminally liable for their role in
promoting, facilitating, or providing a platform for individuals and
groups to plan and promote acts of violence as described in paragraph
(c) of subdivision one of this section, or whether further investigation
by the department of law is warranted or whether a referral to an
appropriate federal, state or local law enforcement agency is necessary,
and to assist in such investigations, if requested by a federal, state,
or local law enforcement agency;

(c) to prepare and make public reports regarding the work of the task
force, provided, however that such reports shall not include
confidential or other protected information or any information that
pertains to or may interfere with ongoing or future investigations;

(d) to review and examine periodically the use, operations, policies,
programs, and practices of social media companies and any role they may
have in promoting, facilitating, and providing platforms for individuals
and groups to plan and promote acts of violence as described in
paragraph (c) of subdivision one of this section;

(e) to cooperate with and assist the division of homeland security and
emergency services or any other state or local agency as may be
appropriate in their efforts to counter acts of violence as described in
paragraph (c) of subdivision one of this section;

(f) to review the final report of the domestic terrorism task force
established pursuant to section six of part R of chapter fifty-five of
the laws of two thousand twenty, setting forth the findings,
conclusions, recommendations, and activities of the task force, to
examine and evaluate how to prevent mass shootings by domestic
terrorists in New York state in furtherance of the goals of the task
force on social media and violent extremism;

(g) to recommend remedial action to prevent the use of social media
platforms by individuals and groups to plan and promote acts of violence
as described in paragraph (c) of subdivision one of this section;

(h) on an annual basis, to submit to the governor, the temporary
president of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, the minority
leader of the senate and the minority leader of the assembly, no later
than December thirty-first, a report summarizing the activities of the
task force and recommending specific changes to state law to further the
mission of the task force on social media and violent extremism; and

(i) to perform any other functions and duties that are necessary or
appropriate to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of the task
force.

3. Powers. In executing its duties under subdivision two of this
section, the task force shall have the power to:

(a) subpoena and enforce the attendance of witnesses;

(b) administer oaths or affirmations and examine witnesses under oath;

(c) request and receive from the division of homeland security and
emergency services, the division of state police, the division of
criminal justice services, and from every department, division, board,
bureau, commission or other agency of the state, or of any political
subdivision thereof, cooperation and assistance in the performance of
its duties;

(d) provide technical and other assistance to any district attorney or
other local law enforcement official requesting such assistance in the
investigation or prosecution of cases involving the role of social media
platforms in broadcasting, streaming, promoting, or otherwise
facilitating acts of violence as described in paragraph (c) of
subdivision one of this section; and

(e) conduct hearings at any place within the state and require the
production of any books, records, documents or other evidence he or she
may deem relevant or material to an investigation.