Protecting Americans from Dangerous Algorithms Act

Bill: 116-hr-8636
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Malinowski, Tom [D-NJ-7]
Introduced: 2020-10-20
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues

Civil actions and liability

Computers and information technology

Internet and video services

Internet, web applications, social media

Terrorism
Latest action: action_date: 2020-10-20
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-10-20
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Protecting Americans from Dangerous Algorithms Act</b></p>   <p>This bill limits a social media company's immunity from liability if it promotes certain content on its platform. </p> <p>Specifically, the bill removes this immunity from a social media company with more than 50 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. </p>

tv_txt: I 116th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8636 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 20, 2020 Mr. Malinowski (for himself and Ms. Eshoo ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL 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.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Protecting Americans from Dangerous Algorithms Act . 2. Amendment 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, 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; and (dd) randomly; or (II) the algorithm, model, or other computational process is used for information a user specifically searches for. (C) Small business exception This paragraph shall not apply to an interactive computer service that (in combination with each subsidiary and affiliate of the service) has 50,000,000 or fewer unique monthly visitors or users for a majority of the preceding 12 months. .