Combating Online Wildlife Trafficking Act of 2021

To amend the Eliminate, Neutralize, and Disrupt Wildlife Trafficking Act of 2016 to direct the Presidential Task Force on Wildlife Trafficking to develop recommendations to address wildlife trafficking on the internet and on social media, and to direct the Secretary of State and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development to develop a strategy to address wildlife trafficking on the internet and on social media, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be referred to as the Combating Online Wildlife Trafficking Act of 2021 2. Combating wildlife trafficking (a) Task Force The Eliminate, Neutralize, and Disrupt Wildlife Trafficking Act of 2016 ( 16 U.S.C. 7601 (1) in section 301 ( 16 U.S.C. 7631 (A) in subsection (d)— (i) in paragraph (4) by striking and (ii) in paragraph (5) by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and (iii) by adding at the end the following: (6) recommendations for how the Task Force can expand cooperative exchanges with technology and social media companies to combat wildlife trafficking on the internet, including recommendations for— (A) identifying how wildlife is trafficked on internet sites and platforms; (B) methods for technology companies to assist Federal agencies and international partners to combat wildlife trafficking; (C) methods to improve public-private relationships with technology and internet companies to combat wildlife trafficking; and (D) identifying correlations between wildlife trafficking and the spread of zoonotic diseases. ; (B) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f); and (C) by inserting after subsection (d) the following: (e) Technology and Social Media Working Group (1) Membership The Task Force shall form a Technology and Social Media Working Group, which shall be composed of such members of the Task Force as the Task Force determines appropriate and a representative of the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, as designated by such Chairman. (2) Purpose Such Technology and Social Media Working Group shall work to address ongoing concerns with wildlife trafficking on the internet. (3) Meetings Such Technology and Social Media Working Group shall convene at least once each year. ; (D) in subsection (f) (as redesignated in subparagraph (B)), by striking shall terminate 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act shall terminate on October 7, 2026 (2) in section 402 ( 16 U.S.C. 7642 (c) Internet and social media The Secretary of State and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, in collaboration with other relevant United States agencies, nongovernmental partners, private sector companies, and international bodies, shall develop a strategy for engaging and partnering with internet and social media companies to combat the spread of wildlife trafficking on the internet. .

Summary: Combating Online Wildlife Trafficking Act of 2021 This bill reauthorizes through October 7, 2026, and revises the Presidential Task Force on Wildlife Trafficking. The task force must develop recommendations and establish a working group to address wildlife trafficking online and on social media. In addition, the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development must create a strategy for engaging with internet and social media companies to address wildlife trafficking on their platforms.