I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8395 

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 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 24, 2020 

Ms. WEXTON (for herself, Mr. BEYER, Mr. CASTEN of Illinois, Mr. FOSTER, 

and Mr. RASKIN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 

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 

5 Disinformation Research and Reporting Act of 2020’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) The National Academies of Sciences, Engi9 neering, and Medicine and the National Science 


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1 Foundation have provided scientific, evidence-based 

2 findings and foundational research, across all dis3 ciplines, that benefit the people of the United States. 

4 (2) Accurate and reliable information is impera5 tive for health and safety during a national emer6 gency like the COVID–19 pandemic. 

7 (3) Disinformation and misinformation have 

8 spread alarmingly during the COVID–19 pandemic, 

9 hindering the public response efforts of Federal, 

10 State, local, and indigenous leaders. 

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

12 easier to spread fake medical information, such as 

13 unproven treatments for COVID–19, or inaccurate 

14 information that undermines scientific experts. 

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

16 weaponized by foreign adversaries, including Russia, 

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

18 media accounts and bot networks to amplify content. 

19 (6) Understanding the financial incentives for 

20 entities spreading and amplifying disinformation and 

21 misinformation can help to combat its distribution. 

22 SEC. 3. SCIENCE STUDY ON COVID–19-RELATED 

23 DISINFORMATION AND MISINFORMATION. 

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

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


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1 Science Foundation shall enter into an arrangement with 

2 the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and 

3 Medicine to conduct a study on the current understanding 

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

5 misinformation on the internet and social media plat6 forms. The study shall address— 

7 (1) the roles disinformation and misinformation 

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

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

10 COVID–19-related disinformation and misinforma11 tion, and the mechanisms by which that 

12 disinformation and misinformation influence the 

13 public debate; 

14 (3) the role social media plays in the dissemina15 tion and promotion of COVID–19-related 

16 disinformation and misinformation content and the 

17 role social media platforms play in the organization 

18 of groups seeking to spread COVID–19-related 

19 disinformation and misinformation; 

20 (4) the potential financial returns for creators 

21 or distributors of COVID–19-related disinformation 

22 and misinformation and the role such financial in23 centives play in the propagation of COVID–19-re24 lated disinformation and misinformation; 


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1 (5) potential strategies to mitigate the dissemi2 nation and negative impacts of COVID–19-related 

3 disinformation and misinformation (and specifically 

4 the dissemination of disinformation and misinforma5 tion on social media), including through improved 

6 disclosures and addressing information literacy; and 

7 (6) an analysis of— 

8 (A) the limitations of the mitigation strate9 gies described in paragraph (5); and 

10 (B) how the strategies can be implemented 

11 without infringing on the constitutional rights 

12 and civil liberties of the people of the United 

13 States. 

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

15 this section, the Director of the National Science Founda16 tion shall request that the National Academies of Sciences, 

17 Engineering, and Medicine transmit to Congress a report 

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

19 the date of enactment of this Act. 

20 (c) AUTHORIZATION.—There is authorized to be ap21 propriated, for the purposes of conducting the study under 

22 this section, $1,000,000. 

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