Iowa Senate Bill SF2219

Iowa 2023-2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/5/24
• Refer: 2/5/24

Caption

A bill for an act relating to the regulation of access to obscene material by minors on social media platforms, and including effective date provisions.

Impact

If enacted, SF2219 would reshape laws pertaining to the responsibility of social media companies regarding child safety. Platforms that are proven to have facilitated or aided in the commercial sexual exploitation of a minor would face substantial statutory damages, potentially amounting to millions of dollars for each incident. This legislative move is expected to heighten the protections for minors navigating online spaces, holding platforms accountable for their content and user interactions.

Summary

Senate File 2219 aims to regulate access to obscene material by minors on social media platforms. It establishes requirements for platforms to provide means for users, specifically residents of Iowa, to report any material suspected to be child sexual abuse material. The bill mandates that these platforms must have reasonable processes in place to permanently block such material and must engage in efforts to remove other instances of the reported material to safeguard minors online. The law emphasizes accountability for social media platforms by imposing liabilities for failure to comply with the reporting procedures outlined in the bill.

Contention

The bill also specifies that social media companies cannot use certain defenses if they violate the provisions regarding reporting. This includes a lack of awareness about the victim's age not being a valid defense against fines or penalties. Thus, firms will need to establish stringent practices to not only adhere to the new laws but also to proactively ensure they are mitigating risks related to child exploitation via their networks.