II 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 4732 

To conduct a study on the spread of COVID–19-related disinformation and 

misinformation on the internet and social media platforms, and for 

other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 24, 2020 

Ms. HIRONO (for herself, Mr. BOOKER, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, 

Ms. WARREN, and Mr. REED) introduced the following bill; which was 

read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 

and Pensions 

A BILL 

To conduct a study on the spread of COVID–19-related 

disinformation and misinformation on the internet and 

social media platforms, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘COVID–19 Disinfor5 mation Research and Reporting Act of 2020’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) The National Academies of Sciences, Engi2 neering, and Medicine and the National Science 

3 Foundation have provided scientific, evidence-based 

4 findings and foundational research, across all dis5 ciplines, that benefit the people of the United States. 

6 (2) Accurate and reliable information is impera7 tive for health and safety during a national emer8 gency like the COVID–19 pandemic. 

9 (3) Disinformation and misinformation have 

10 spread alarmingly during the COVID–19 pandemic, 

11 hindering the public response efforts of Federal, 

12 State, local, and indigenous leaders. 

13 (4) The internet and social media have made it 

14 easier to spread fake medical information, such as 

15 unproven treatments for COVID–19, or inaccurate 

16 information that undermines scientific experts. 

17 (5) COVID–19-related disinformation has been 

18 weaponized by foreign adversaries, including Russia, 

19 China, and Iran, through the use of fake social 

20 media accounts and bot networks to amplify content. 

21 (6) Understanding the financial incentives for 

22 entities spreading and amplifying disinformation and 

23 misinformation can help to combat its distribution. 


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1 SEC. 3. SCIENCE STUDY ON COVID–19-RELATED DISINFOR2 MATION AND MISINFORMATION. 

3 (a) STUDY.—Not later than 30 days after the date 

4 of enactment of this Act, the Director of the National 

5 Science Foundation shall enter into an arrangement with 

6 the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and 

7 Medicine to conduct a study on the current understanding 

8 of the spread of COVID–19-related disinformation and 

9 misinformation on the internet and social media plat10 forms. The study shall address— 

11 (1) the roles disinformation and misinformation 

12 have played in the public response to COVID–19; 

13 (2) the sources, both foreign and domestic, of 

14 COVID–19-related disinformation and misinforma15 tion, and the mechanisms by which that disinforma16 tion and misinformation influence the public debate; 

17 (3) the role social media plays in the dissemina18 tion and promotion of COVID–19-related disinfor19 mation and misinformation content and the role so20 cial media platforms play in the organization of 

21 groups seeking to spread COVID–19-related disin22 formation and misinformation; 

23 (4) the potential financial returns for creators 

24 or distributors of COVID–19-related disinformation 

25 and misinformation and the role such financial inVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:27 Oct 16, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4732.IS S4732

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1 centives play in the propagation of COVID–19-re2 lated disinformation and misinformation; 

3 (5) potential strategies to mitigate the dissemi4 nation and negative impacts of COVID–19-related 

5 disinformation and misinformation (and specifically 

6 the dissemination of disinformation and misinforma7 tion on social media), including through improved 

8 disclosures and addressing information literacy; and 

9 (6) an analysis of— 

10 (A) the limitations of the mitigation strate11 gies described in paragraph (5); and 

12 (B) how the strategies can be implemented 

13 without infringing on the constitutional rights 

14 and civil liberties of the people of the United 

15 States. 

16 (b) REPORT.—In entering into an arrangement under 

17 this section, the Director of the National Science Founda18 tion shall request that the National Academies of Sciences, 

19 Engineering, and Medicine transmit to Congress a report 

20 on the results of the study not later than 1 year after 

21 the date of enactment of this Act. 

22 (c) AUTHORIZATION.—There is authorized to be ap23 propriated, for the purposes of conducting the study under 

24 this section, $1,000,000. 

Æ 


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