Bill Text: TX HB2155 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to prohibiting social media platforms from using certain social media algorithms to target minors.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-03-09 - Referred to Youth Health & Safety, Select [HB2155 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB2155-Introduced.html
| 88R3846 SHH-F | ||
| By: Patterson | H.B. No. 2155 | |
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| relating to prohibiting social media platforms from using certain | ||
| social media algorithms to target minors. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Section 120.001, Business & Commerce Code, is | ||
| amended by amending Subdivision (1) and adding Subdivisions (1-a), | ||
| (1-b), and (3) to read as follows: | ||
| (1) "Minor" means a person younger than 18 years of | ||
| age. | ||
| (1-a) "Social media algorithm" means the software used | ||
| by social media platforms to: | ||
| (A) prioritize content; and | ||
| (B) direct the prioritized content to a user. | ||
| (1-b) "Social media platform" means an Internet | ||
| website or application that is open to the public, allows a user to | ||
| create an account, and enables users to communicate with other | ||
| users for the primary purpose of posting information, comments, | ||
| messages, or images. The term does not include: | ||
| (A) an Internet service provider as defined by | ||
| Section 324.055; | ||
| (B) electronic mail; or | ||
| (C) an online service, application, or website: | ||
| (i) that consists primarily of news, | ||
| sports, entertainment, or other information or content that is not | ||
| user generated but is preselected by the provider; and | ||
| (ii) for which any chat, comments, or | ||
| interactive functionality is incidental to, directly related to, or | ||
| dependent on the provision of the content described by Subparagraph | ||
| (i). | ||
| (3) "User-generated content" means content created or | ||
| shared by a user, including written posts, photographs, graphics, | ||
| video recordings, or audio recordings. | ||
| SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 120, Business & Commerce | ||
| Code, is amended by adding Section 120.152 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 120.152. CERTAIN ALGORITHMS TARGETING MINORS | ||
| PROHIBITED; LIABILITY. (a) A social media platform operator is | ||
| liable to a user who receives user-generated content through a | ||
| social media algorithm while the user is a minor if the operator | ||
| knew or had reason to know that the user was a minor. | ||
| (b) A social media platform operator who violates this | ||
| section is liable to the user for: | ||
| (1) actual damages arising from the violation; and | ||
| (2) $1,000 for each violation of this section. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. | ||
