I 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7117 

To direct the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission to establish a 

task force for the purpose of studying the effects of automated accounts 

on social media, public discourse, and elections, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 6, 2018 

Mr. DESAULNIER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To direct the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission 

to establish a task force for the purpose of studying 

the effects of automated accounts on social media, public 

discourse, and elections, 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 ‘‘Bots Research Act’’. 

5 SEC. 2. TASK FORCE. 

6 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 90 days after 

7 the date of enactment of this Act, the Chairman of the 

8 Federal Trade Commission shall establish a task force to 


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1 carry out the study and submit a report as required under 

2 section 3. 

3 (b) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The task force 

4 shall be comprised of the following: 

5 (1) At least 1 expert representing the Govern6 ment. 

7 (2) At least 1 expert representing academia. 

8 (3) At least 1 expert representing non-profit or9 ganizations. 

10 (4) At least 1 expert representing industry. 

11 (5) Any other expert that the Chairman deter12 mines appropriate. 

13 (c) QUALIFICATIONS.—The Chairman shall select 

14 task force members to serve by virtue of their expertise 

15 in automation technology. 

16 (d) DEADLINE FOR APPOINTMENT.—Not later than 

17 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Chair18 man shall appoint the members of the task force. 

19 (e) COMPENSATION.—Members of the task force shall 

20 serve without pay and shall not receive travel expenses. 

21 (f) TASK FORCE SUPPORT.—The Chairman shall en22 sure appropriate staff and officials of the Federal Trade 

23 Commission are available to support any task force-related 

24 work. 


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1 SEC. 3. STUDY AND REPORT. 

2 (a) STUDY.—The task force established in this Act 

3 shall conduct a study of the impact of automated accounts 

4 on social media, public discourse, and elections. Such 

5 study shall include an assessment of— 

6 (1) what qualifies as a bot or automated ac7 count; 

8 (2) the extent to which automated accounts are 

9 used; 

10 (3) how the automated accounts are used; and 

11 (4) how to most effectively combat any use of 

12 automated accounts that negatively effects social 

13 media, public discourse, and elections while con14 tinuing to promote the protection of the First 

15 Amendment on the internet. 

16 (b) TASK FORCE CONSIDERATIONS.—In carrying out 

17 the requirements of this section, the task force shall con18 sider, at a minimum— 

19 (1) the promotion of technological innovation; 

20 (2) the protection of First Amendment and 

21 other constitutional rights of social media users; 

22 (3) the need to improve cybersecurity to ensure 

23 the integrity of elections; and 

24 (4) the importance of continuously reviewing 

25 relevant regulations to ensure that such regulations 

26 respond effectively to changes in technology. 


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1 (c) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the estab2 lishment of the task force, the task force shall develop and 

3 submit to Congress and relevant Federal agencies the re4 sults and conclusions of the study conducted under sub5 section (a). 

Æ 


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