| 1 | 1 | | 23 LC 44 2167ER |
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| 2 | 2 | | H. B. 250 |
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| 3 | 3 | | - 1 - |
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| 4 | 4 | | House Bill 250 |
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| 5 | 5 | | By: Representatives Sainz of the 180 |
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| 6 | 6 | | th |
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| 7 | 7 | | , Hitchens of the 161 |
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| 8 | 8 | | st |
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| 9 | 9 | | , Kelley of the 16 |
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| 10 | 10 | | th |
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| 11 | 11 | | , Townsend |
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| 12 | 12 | | of the 179 |
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| 13 | 13 | | th |
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| 14 | 14 | | , and Mathiak of the 74 |
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| 15 | 15 | | th |
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| 16 | 16 | | |
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| 17 | 17 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 18 | 18 | | AN ACT |
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| 19 | 19 | | To amend Title 9 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to civil practice, so as |
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| 20 | 20 | | 1 |
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| 21 | 21 | | to prohibit censorship by social media platforms; to prohibit waivers of protections; to2 |
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| 22 | 22 | | provide for limitations; to provide for construction; to provide for user remedies; to provide3 |
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| 23 | 23 | | for action by the Attorney General; to amend Title 10 of the Official Code of Georgia4 |
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| 24 | 24 | | Annotated, relating to commerce and trade, so as to provide for disclosure requirements5 |
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| 25 | 25 | | regarding social media platforms; to provide for construction; to provide for acceptable use6 |
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| 26 | 26 | | policies; to provide for transparency reports; to provide for a complaint system; to provide7 |
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| 27 | 27 | | for removal of content and exceptions; to provide for appeals; to provide for action by the8 |
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| 28 | 28 | | Attorney General; to provide for definitions; to provide for applicability; to provide for9 |
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| 29 | 29 | | related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.10 |
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| 30 | 30 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:11 |
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| 31 | 31 | | SECTION 1.12 |
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| 32 | 32 | | Title 9 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to civil practice, is amended by13 |
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| 33 | 33 | | adding a new chapter to read as follows:14 23 LC 44 2167ER |
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| 34 | 34 | | H. B. 250 |
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| 35 | 35 | | - 2 - |
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| 36 | 36 | | "CHAPTER 1815 |
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| 37 | 37 | | 9-18-1.16 |
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| 38 | 38 | | As used in this chapter, the term:17 |
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| 39 | 39 | | (1) 'Censor' or 'censorship' means any action taken to edit, alter, block, ban, delete,18 |
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| 40 | 40 | | remove, deplatform, demonetize, de-boost, regulate, restrict, inhibit the publication or19 |
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| 41 | 41 | | reproduction of, or deny equal access or visibility to expression; to suspend a right to20 |
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| 42 | 42 | | post, remove, or post an addendum to any content or material posted by a user; or to21 |
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| 43 | 43 | | otherwise discriminate against expression. Such term includes an action taken to inhibit22 |
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| 44 | 44 | | a social media platform or interactive computer service user's ability to be viewed by or23 |
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| 45 | 45 | | interact with another user of the platform or service.24 |
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| 46 | 46 | | (2) 'Expression' means any word, numeral music, sound, still or moving image, or other25 |
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| 47 | 47 | | perceivable communication.26 |
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| 48 | 48 | | (3) 'Interactive computer service' means an information service, system, or access27 |
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| 49 | 49 | | software provider that provides or enables computer access by multiple users to a28 |
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| 50 | 50 | | computer server. Such term does not include an internet access provider as defined by29 |
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| 51 | 51 | | Code Section 39-5-1.30 |
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| 52 | 52 | | (4) 'Receive' means, with respect to an expression, to read, hear, look at, access, or gain31 |
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| 53 | 53 | | access to the expression.32 |
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| 54 | 54 | | (5) 'Social media platform' means an internet website or application, internet system, or33 |
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| 55 | 55 | | access software provider that is available to the public, allows a user of the platform to34 |
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| 56 | 56 | | create an account, and enables users to communicate with other users for the primary35 |
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| 57 | 57 | | purpose of posting information, comments, messages, or images. Such term does not36 |
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| 58 | 58 | | include:37 |
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| 59 | 59 | | (A) An internet access provider as defined by Code Section 39-5-1;38 |
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| 60 | 60 | | (B) Email; or39 |
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| 61 | 61 | | (C) An online service, application, or website:40 23 LC 44 2167ER |
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| 62 | 62 | | H. B. 250 |
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| 63 | 63 | | - 3 - |
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| 64 | 64 | | (i) That consists primarily of news, sports, entertainment, or other information or41 |
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| 65 | 65 | | content that is not user generated but is preselected by the platform; and42 |
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| 66 | 66 | | (ii) For which any chat, comments, or interactive functionality is incidental to,43 |
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| 67 | 67 | | directly related to, or dependent on the provision of the content described by division44 |
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| 68 | 68 | | (i) of this subparagraph.45 |
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| 69 | 69 | | (6) 'Unlawful expression' means an expression that is unlawful under the United States46 |
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| 70 | 70 | | Constitution, federal law, the Georgia Constitution, or the laws of this state, including47 |
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| 71 | 71 | | expression that constitutes a tort under the laws of this state or the United States.48 |
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| 72 | 72 | | (7) 'User' means a person who posts, uploads, transmits, shares, or otherwise publishes49 |
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| 73 | 73 | | or receives expression, through a social media platform or interactive computer service.50 |
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| 74 | 74 | | 9-18-2.51 |
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| 75 | 75 | | (a) A social media platform or interactive computer service may not censor a user, a user's52 |
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| 76 | 76 | | expression, or a user's ability to receive the expression of another person based on:53 |
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| 77 | 77 | | (1) The viewpoint of the user or another person;54 |
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| 78 | 78 | | (2) The viewpoint represented in the user's expression or another person's expression; or55 |
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| 79 | 79 | | (3) A user's geographic location in this state or any part of this state.56 |
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| 80 | 80 | | (b) This Code section applies regardless of whether the viewpoint is expressed on a social57 |
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| 81 | 81 | | media platform or interactive computer service or through any other medium.58 |
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| 82 | 82 | | 9-18-3.59 |
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| 83 | 83 | | (a) A waiver or purported waiver of the protections provided by this chapter is void as60 |
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| 84 | 84 | | unlawful and against public policy, and a court or arbitrator may not enforce or give effect61 |
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| 85 | 85 | | to the waiver, including in an action brought under Code Section 9-18-7, notwithstanding62 |
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| 86 | 86 | | any contract or choice-of-law provision in a contract.63 |
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| 87 | 87 | | (b) The waiver prohibition described by subsection (a) of this Code section is a public64 |
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| 88 | 88 | | policy limitation on contractual and other waivers of the highest importance and interest65 23 LC 44 2167ER |
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| 89 | 89 | | H. B. 250 |
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| 90 | 90 | | - 4 - |
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| 91 | 91 | | to this state, and this state is exercising and enforcing this limitation to the full extent66 |
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| 92 | 92 | | permitted by the United States Constitution and the Georgia Constitution.67 |
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| 93 | 93 | | 9-18-4.68 |
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| 94 | 94 | | (a) This chapter applies only to a user who:69 |
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| 95 | 95 | | (1) Resides in this state;70 |
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| 96 | 96 | | (2) Does business in this state; or71 |
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| 97 | 97 | | (3) Shares or receives expression in this state.72 |
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| 98 | 98 | | (b) This chapter applies only to expression that is shared or received in this state.73 |
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| 99 | 99 | | (c) This chapter applies only to a social media platform or interactive computer service74 |
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| 100 | 100 | | that functionally has more than 50 million active users in the United States in any calendar75 |
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| 101 | 101 | | month.76 |
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| 102 | 102 | | (d) This chapter applies to the maximum extent permitted by the United States77 |
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| 103 | 103 | | Constitution and the laws of the United States but no further than the maximum extent78 |
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| 104 | 104 | | permitted by the United States Constitution and the laws of the United States.79 |
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| 105 | 105 | | 9-18-5.80 |
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| 106 | 106 | | This chapter does not subject a social media platform or interactive computer service to81 |
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| 107 | 107 | | damages or other legal remedies to the extent the social media platform or interactive82 |
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| 108 | 108 | | computer service is protected from those remedies under federal law.83 |
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| 109 | 109 | | 9-18-6.84 |
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| 110 | 110 | | (a) This chapter does not prohibit a social media platform or interactive computer service85 |
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| 111 | 111 | | from:86 |
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| 112 | 112 | | (1) Censoring expression that the social media platform or interactive computer service87 |
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| 113 | 113 | | is specifically authorized to censor by federal law; or88 23 LC 44 2167ER |
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| 114 | 114 | | H. B. 250 |
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| 115 | 115 | | - 5 - |
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| 116 | 116 | | (2) Censoring unlawful expression, including expression that unlawfully harasses89 |
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| 117 | 117 | | individuals or unlawfully incites violence.90 |
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| 118 | 118 | | (b) This chapter shall not be construed to prohibit or restrict a social media platform or91 |
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| 119 | 119 | | interactive computer service from authorizing or facilitating a user's ability to censor92 |
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| 120 | 120 | | specific expression on the user's account or page at the request of that user.93 |
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| 121 | 121 | | (c) This chapter may not be construed to expand or limit intellectual property law.94 |
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| 122 | 122 | | 9-18-7.95 |
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| 123 | 123 | | (a) A user may bring an action against a social media platform or interactive computer96 |
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| 124 | 124 | | service that violates this chapter with respect to the user.97 |
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| 125 | 125 | | (b) If the user proves that the social media platform or interactive computer service98 |
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| 126 | 126 | | violated this chapter with respect to the user, the user is entitled to recover:99 |
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| 127 | 127 | | (1) Declaratory relief, including costs and reasonable and necessary attorney's fees; and100 |
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| 128 | 128 | | (2) Injunctive relief.101 |
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| 129 | 129 | | (c) If a social media platform or interactive computer service fails to promptly comply102 |
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| 130 | 130 | | with a court order in an action brought under this Code section, the court shall hold the103 |
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| 131 | 131 | | social media platform or interactive computer service in contempt and shall use all lawful104 |
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| 132 | 132 | | measures to secure immediate compliance with the order, including daily penalties105 |
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| 133 | 133 | | sufficient to secure immediate compliance.106 |
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| 134 | 134 | | (d) A user may bring an action under this Code section regardless of whether another court107 |
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| 135 | 135 | | has enjoined the Attorney General from enforcing this chapter or declared any provision108 |
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| 136 | 136 | | of this chapter unconstitutional unless that court decision is binding on the court in which109 |
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| 137 | 137 | | the action is brought.110 |
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| 138 | 138 | | (e) Nonmutual issue preclusion and nonmutual claim preclusion are not defenses to an111 |
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| 139 | 139 | | action brought under this Code section.112 23 LC 44 2167ER |
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| 140 | 140 | | H. B. 250 |
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| 141 | 141 | | - 6 - |
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| 142 | 142 | | (f) A user may bring an action under this Code section to remedy censorship of the user's113 |
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| 143 | 143 | | ability to publish or receive expression that occurred before July 1, 2023, if the censorship114 |
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| 144 | 144 | | continues after June 30, 2023.115 |
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| 145 | 145 | | 9-18-8.116 |
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| 146 | 146 | | (a) Any person may notify the Attorney General of a violation or potential violation of this117 |
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| 147 | 147 | | chapter by a social media platform or interactive computer service.118 |
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| 148 | 148 | | (b) The Attorney General may bring an action to enjoin a violation or a potential violation119 |
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| 149 | 149 | | of this chapter. If the injunction is granted, the Attorney General may recover costs and120 |
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| 150 | 150 | | reasonable attorney's fees incurred in bringing the action and reasonable investigative costs121 |
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| 151 | 151 | | incurred in relation to the action."122 |
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| 152 | 152 | | SECTION 2.123 |
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| 153 | 153 | | Title 10 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to commerce and trade, is124 |
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| 154 | 154 | | amended by adding a new chapter to read as follows:125 |
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| 155 | 155 | | "CHAPTER 16126 |
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| 156 | 156 | | 10-16-1.127 |
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| 157 | 157 | | As used in this chapter, the term:128 |
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| 158 | 158 | | (1) 'Social media platform' means an internet website or application, internet system, or129 |
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| 159 | 159 | | access software provider that is available to the public, allows a user of the platform to130 |
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| 160 | 160 | | create an account, and enables users to communicate with other users for the primary131 |
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| 161 | 161 | | purpose of posting information, comments, messages, or images. Such term does not132 |
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| 162 | 162 | | include:133 |
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| 163 | 163 | | (A) An internet access provider as defined by Code Section 39-5-1;134 |
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| 164 | 164 | | (B) Email; or135 23 LC 44 2167ER |
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| 165 | 165 | | H. B. 250 |
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| 166 | 166 | | - 7 - |
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| 167 | 167 | | (C) An online service, application, or website:136 |
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| 168 | 168 | | (i) That consists primarily of news, sports, entertainment, or other information or137 |
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| 169 | 169 | | content that is not user generated but is preselected by the platform; and138 |
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| 170 | 170 | | (ii) For which any chat, comments, or interactive functionality is incidental to,139 |
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| 171 | 171 | | directly related to, or dependent on the provision of the content described by140 |
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| 172 | 172 | | division (i) of this subparagraph.141 |
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| 173 | 173 | | (2) 'User' means a person who posts, uploads, transmits, shares, or otherwise publishes142 |
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| 174 | 174 | | or receives content through a social media platform.143 |
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| 175 | 175 | | 10-16-2.144 |
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| 176 | 176 | | (a) This chapter applies only to a user who:145 |
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| 177 | 177 | | (1) Resides in this state;146 |
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| 178 | 178 | | (2) Does business in this state; or147 |
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| 179 | 179 | | (3) Shares or receives content on a social media platform in this state.148 |
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| 180 | 180 | | (b) This chapter applies only to a social media platform that functionally has more than 50149 |
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| 181 | 181 | | million active users in the United States in any calendar month.150 |
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| 182 | 182 | | 10-16-3.151 |
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| 183 | 183 | | This chapter may not be construed to limit or expand intellectual property law.152 |
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| 184 | 184 | | 10-16-4.153 |
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| 185 | 185 | | (a) A social media platform shall, in accordance with this chapter, publicly disclose154 |
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| 186 | 186 | | accurate information regarding its content management, data management, and business155 |
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| 187 | 187 | | practices, including specific information regarding the manner in which the social media156 |
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| 188 | 188 | | platform:157 |
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| 189 | 189 | | (1) Curates and targets content to users;158 23 LC 44 2167ER |
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| 190 | 190 | | H. B. 250 |
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| 191 | 191 | | - 8 - |
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| 192 | 192 | | (2) Places and promotes content, services, and products, including its own content,159 |
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| 193 | 193 | | services, and products;160 |
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| 194 | 194 | | (3) Moderates user generated content;161 |
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| 195 | 195 | | (4) Uses search, ranking, or other algorithms or procedures that determine results on the162 |
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| 196 | 196 | | platform; and163 |
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| 197 | 197 | | (5) Provides users' performance data on the use of the platform and its products and164 |
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| 198 | 198 | | services.165 |
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| 199 | 199 | | (b) The disclosure required by subsection (a) of this Code section must be sufficient to166 |
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| 200 | 200 | | enable users to make an informed choice regarding the purchase of or use of access to or167 |
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| 201 | 201 | | services from the platform.168 |
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| 202 | 202 | | (c) A social media platform shall publish the disclosure required by subsection (a) of this169 |
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| 203 | 203 | | Code section on an internet website that is easily accessible by the public.170 |
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| 204 | 204 | | 10-16-5.171 |
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| 205 | 205 | | (a) A social media platform shall publish an acceptable use policy in a location that is172 |
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| 206 | 206 | | easily accessible to users.173 |
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| 207 | 207 | | (b) A social media platform's acceptable use policy shall:174 |
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| 208 | 208 | | (1) Reasonably inform users about the types of content allowed on the social media175 |
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| 209 | 209 | | platform;176 |
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| 210 | 210 | | (2) Explain the steps the social media platform will take to ensure that content complies177 |
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| 211 | 211 | | with its policy;178 |
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| 212 | 212 | | (3) Explain the means by which users can notify the social media platform of content that179 |
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| 213 | 213 | | potentially violates its acceptable use policy or that is illegal content or illegal activity,180 |
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| 214 | 214 | | which includes:181 |
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| 215 | 215 | | (A) Subject to subsection (c) of this Code section, making available a live company182 |
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| 216 | 216 | | representative to take user complaints through a toll-free telephone number that users183 |
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| 217 | 217 | | may call during regular business hours;184 23 LC 44 2167ER |
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| 218 | 218 | | H. B. 250 |
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| 219 | 219 | | - 9 - |
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| 220 | 220 | | (B) An email address or relevant complaint intake mechanism to handle user185 |
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| 221 | 221 | | complaints; and186 |
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| 222 | 222 | | (C) A complaint system as provided for in Code Sections 10-16-7 through 10-16-10;187 |
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| 223 | 223 | | and188 |
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| 224 | 224 | | (4) Include publication of a quarterly transparency report outlining actions taken to189 |
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| 225 | 225 | | enforce its acceptable use policy.190 |
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| 226 | 226 | | (c) The live company representative described by subparagraph (b)(3)(A) of this Code191 |
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| 227 | 227 | | section shall be available at a minimum eight hours a day, five days a week.192 |
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| 228 | 228 | | 10-16-6.193 |
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| 229 | 229 | | (a) As part of a social media platform's acceptable use policy under Code Section 10-16-5,194 |
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| 230 | 230 | | the social media platform shall publish a quarterly transparency report that includes, with195 |
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| 231 | 231 | | respect to the preceding three-month period:196 |
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| 232 | 232 | | (1) The total number of instances in which the social media platform was alerted to197 |
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| 233 | 233 | | illegal content, illegal activity, or potentially policy-violating content by:198 |
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| 234 | 234 | | (A) A user complaint;199 |
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| 235 | 235 | | (B) An employee of or person contracting with the social media platform; or200 |
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| 236 | 236 | | (C) An internal automated detection tool;201 |
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| 237 | 237 | | (2) Subject to subsection (b) of this Code section, the number of instances in which the202 |
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| 238 | 238 | | social media platform took action with respect to illegal content, illegal activity, or203 |
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| 239 | 239 | | potentially policy-violating content known to the platform due to the nature of the content204 |
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| 240 | 240 | | as illegal content, illegal activity, or potentially policy-violating content, including:205 |
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| 241 | 241 | | (A) Content removal;206 |
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| 242 | 242 | | (B) Content demonetization;207 |
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| 243 | 243 | | (C) Content deprioritization;208 |
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| 244 | 244 | | (D) The addition of an assessment to content;209 |
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| 245 | 245 | | (E) Account suspension;210 23 LC 44 2167ER |
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| 246 | 246 | | H. B. 250 |
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| 247 | 247 | | - 10 - |
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| 248 | 248 | | (F) Account removal; or211 |
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| 249 | 249 | | (G) Any other action taken in accordance with the platform's acceptable use policy;212 |
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| 250 | 250 | | (3) The country of the user who provided the content for each instance described in213 |
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| 251 | 251 | | paragraph (2) of this subsection;214 |
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| 252 | 252 | | (4) The number of coordinated campaigns, if applicable;215 |
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| 253 | 253 | | (5) The number of instances in which a user appealed the decision to remove the user's216 |
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| 254 | 254 | | illegal content, illegal activity, or potentially policy-violating content;217 |
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| 255 | 255 | | (6) The percentage of appeals described in paragraph (5) of this subsection that resulted218 |
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| 256 | 256 | | in the restoration of content; and219 |
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| 257 | 257 | | (7) A description of each tool, practice, action, or technique used in enforcing the220 |
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| 258 | 258 | | acceptable use policy.221 |
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| 259 | 259 | | (b) The information described in paragraph (2) of subsection (a) of this Code section shall222 |
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| 260 | 260 | | be categorized by:223 |
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| 261 | 261 | | (1) The specific policy violated; and224 |
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| 262 | 262 | | (2) The source for the alert of illegal content, illegal activity, or potentially225 |
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| 263 | 263 | | policy-violating content, including:226 |
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| 264 | 264 | | (A) A government;227 |
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| 265 | 265 | | (B) A user;228 |
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| 266 | 266 | | (C) An internal automated detection tool;229 |
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| 267 | 267 | | (D) Coordination with other social media platforms; or230 |
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| 268 | 268 | | (E) Persons employed by or contracting with the social media platform.231 |
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| 269 | 269 | | (c) A social media platform shall publish the information described in subsection (a) of232 |
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| 270 | 270 | | this Code section with an open license, in a machine-readable and open format, and in a233 |
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| 271 | 271 | | location that is easily accessible to users.234 23 LC 44 2167ER |
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| 272 | 272 | | H. B. 250 |
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| 273 | 273 | | - 11 - |
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| 274 | 274 | | 10-16-7.235 |
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| 275 | 275 | | A social media platform shall provide an easily accessible complaint system to enable a236 |
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| 276 | 276 | | user to submit a complaint in good faith and track the status of the complaint, including a237 |
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| 277 | 277 | | complaint regarding:238 |
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| 278 | 278 | | (1) Illegal content or activity; or239 |
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| 279 | 279 | | (2) A decision made by the social media platform to remove content posted by the user.240 |
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| 280 | 280 | | 10-16-8.241 |
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| 281 | 281 | | A social media platform that receives notice of illegal content or illegal activity on its242 |
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| 282 | 282 | | platform shall make a good faith effort to evaluate the legality of the content or activity243 |
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| 283 | 283 | | within 24 hours of receiving the notice, subject to reasonable exceptions based on concerns244 |
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| 284 | 284 | | about the legitimacy of the notice.245 |
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| 285 | 285 | | 10-16-9.246 |
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| 286 | 286 | | (a) Except as provided by subsection (b) of this Code section, if a social media platform247 |
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| 287 | 287 | | removes content based on a violation of the platform's acceptable use policy under Code248 |
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| 288 | 288 | | Section 10-16-5, the social media platform shall, concurrently with the removal:249 |
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| 289 | 289 | | (1) Notify the user who provided the content of the removal and explain the reason or250 |
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| 290 | 290 | | reasons why the content was removed;251 |
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| 291 | 291 | | (2) Allow the user to appeal the decision to remove the content to the platform; and252 |
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| 292 | 292 | | (3) Provide written notice to the user who provided the content of:253 |
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| 293 | 293 | | (A) The determination regarding an appeal requested under paragraph (2) of this254 |
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| 294 | 294 | | subsection; and255 |
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| 295 | 295 | | (B) In the case of a reversal of the social media platform's decision to remove the256 |
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| 296 | 296 | | content, the reason or reasons for the reversal.257 |
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| 297 | 297 | | (b) A social media platform is not required to provide a user with notice or an opportunity258 |
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| 298 | 298 | | to appeal under subsection (a) of this Code section if the social media platform:259 23 LC 44 2167ER |
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| 299 | 299 | | H. B. 250 |
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| 300 | 300 | | - 12 - |
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| 301 | 301 | | (1) Is unable to contact the user after taking reasonable steps to make contact; or260 |
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| 302 | 302 | | (2) Knows that the illegal content, illegal activity, or potentially policy-violating content261 |
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| 303 | 303 | | relates to an ongoing law enforcement investigation.262 |
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| 304 | 304 | | 10-16-10.263 |
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| 305 | 305 | | If a social media platform receives a user's complaint about the platform's removal of264 |
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| 306 | 306 | | content provided by the user that the user believes was not illegal content, illegal activity,265 |
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| 307 | 307 | | or potentially policy-violating content, the social media platform shall, not later than 14266 |
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| 308 | 308 | | days after the date the platform receives the complaint:267 |
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| 309 | 309 | | (1) Review the removed content;268 |
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| 310 | 310 | | (2) Determine whether the content adheres to the platform's acceptable use policy and269 |
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| 311 | 311 | | take appropriate steps based on such determination; and270 |
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| 312 | 312 | | (3) Notify the user regarding such determination and steps taken under paragraph (2) of271 |
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| 313 | 313 | | this Code section.272 |
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| 314 | 314 | | 10-16-11.273 |
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| 315 | 315 | | (a) The Attorney General may bring an action against a social media platform to enjoin a274 |
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| 316 | 316 | | violation of this chapter.275 |
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| 317 | 317 | | (b) If an injunction is granted in an action brought under subsection (a) of this Code276 |
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| 318 | 318 | | section, the Attorney General may recover costs incurred in bringing the action, including277 |
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| 319 | 319 | | reasonable attorney's fees and reasonable investigative costs."278 |
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| 320 | 320 | | SECTION 3.279 |
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| 321 | 321 | | This Act shall apply to actions taken on or after July 1, 2023.280 |
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| 322 | 322 | | SECTION 4.281 |
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| 323 | 323 | | All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.282 |
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