Protecting Americans from Dangerous Algorithms Act
Bill: H.R.2154 | Sponsor: Rep. Malinowski, Tom (D-NJ)
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
Protecting Americans from Dangerous Algorithms Act
This bill limits a social media company's immunity from liability if it promotes certain content on its platform.
Specifically, the bill removes this immunity from a social media company with more than 10 million monthly users if it utilizes an algorithm, model, or other computational process to amplify or recommend content to a user that is directly relevant to a claim involving (1) interference with civil rights, (2) neglect to prevent interference with civil rights, or (3) acts of international terrorism.

To amend section 230(c) of the Communications Act of 1934 to prevent 
immunity for interactive computer services for certain claims, and for 
                            other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Protecting Americans from Dangerous 
Algorithms Act''.

SEC. 2. AMENDMENT TO THE COMMUNICATIONS DECENCY ACT.

    Section 230(c) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 230(c)) 
is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(3) Algorithmic amplification.--
                    ``(A) In general.--For purposes of paragraph (1), 
                an interactive computer service shall be considered to 
                be an information content provider and the protection 
                under such paragraph shall not apply for any claim 
                described in subparagraph (B).
                    ``(B) Conditions for claim.--
                            ``(i) In general.--A claim in this 
                        subparagraph requires the following:
                                    ``(I) A claim in a civil action is 
                                brought under--
                                            ``(aa) section 1980 or 1981 
                                        of the Revised Statutes (42 
                                        U.S.C. 1985; 42 U.S.C. 1986); 
                                        or
                                            ``(bb) section 2333 of 
                                        title 18, United States Code.
                                    ``(II) Except as provided in clause 
                                (ii), the claim involves a case in 
                                which the interactive computer service 
                                used an algorithm, model, or other 
                                computational process to rank, order, 
                                promote, recommend, amplify, or 
                                similarly alter the delivery or display 
                                of information (including any text, 
                                image, audio, or video post, page, 
                                group, account, channel, or 
                                affiliation) provided to a user of the 
                                service if the information is directly 
                                relevant to the claim.
                            ``(ii) Exception.--Notwithstanding clause 
                        (i)(II), the requirement is not met if--
                                    ``(I) the information delivery or 
                                display is ranked, ordered, promoted, 
                                recommended, amplified, or similarly 
                                altered in a way that is obvious, 
                                understandable, and transparent to a 
                                reasonable user based only on the 
                                delivery or display of the information 
                                (without the need to reference the 
                                terms of service or any other 
                                agreement), including sorting 
                                information--
                                            ``(aa) chronologically or 
                                        reverse chronologically;
                                            ``(bb) by average user 
                                        rating or number of user 
                                        reviews;
                                            ``(cc) alphabetically;
                                            ``(dd) randomly; and
                                            ``(ee) by views, downloads, 
                                        or a similar usage metric; or
                                    ``(II) the algorithm, model, or 
                                other computational process is used for 
                                information a user specifically 
                                searches for.
                    ``(C) Exemptions.--
                            ``(i) Small businesses.--This paragraph 
                        shall not apply to an interactive computer 
                        service that (in combination with each 
                        subsidiary and affiliate of the service) has 
                        10,000,000 or fewer unique monthly visitors or 
                        users for not fewer than three of the preceding 
                        12 months.
                            ``(ii) Internet infrastructure.--This 
                        paragraph shall not apply to a provider of an 
                        interactive computer service, when that service 
                        is used by another interactive computer service 
                        for the management, control, or operation of 
                        that other interactive computer service, 
                        including for--
                                    ``(I) web hosting;
                                    ``(II) domain registration;
                                    ``(III) content delivery networks;
                                    ``(IV) caching;
                                    ``(V) data storage; and
                                    ``(VI) cybersecurity.''.
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