Foreign-owned social media platforms, such as TikTok, have gained immense popularity in recent years. However, their ownership by entities from countries that may pose security threats has raised concerns among lawmakers.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and state legislators view these platforms, particularly TikTok, as potential risks to the state’s security. Related: TikTok Ban Boosted In Florida Senate
As a result, Senate Bill 1448 has been introduced to address these concerns and ensure transparency and accountability.
Read: Florida Senate Panel To Take Up Social Media Bill
Senate Bill 1448, sponsored by state Senator Joe Gruters, aims to add transparency requirements for social media platforms owned by foreign adversaries.
The bill has received unanimous support from the Senate Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice.
Under the proposed legislation, social media platforms owned by foreign adversaries, including China (the owner of TikTok), would be required to disclose certain information about their operations in Florida.
One of the key provisions of Senate Bill 1448 is the requirement for foreign-owned social media platforms to disclose the core functional elements of their platforms’ content curation and algorithms.
This includes information about algorithms that affect content rankings, visibility, measures to address misinformation and harmful content, and the targeting of content.
Read: Florida Rep. Greg Steube Questions IRS Head After Work-From-Home Concerns Aired
“If you’re an American-owned company, you do business in some of these countries, they require the entire source code,” Gruters said. “We’re not requesting that. All we are requiring is that the algorithm be presented.”
The bill also introduces verification requirements for users and organizations that purchase political or social advertising on foreign-owned social media platforms.
These verification requirements would include verifying key information such as citizenship, residency, and age. This provision aims to prevent foreign interference in the political process and ensure that advertisements are not used to spread misinformation or manipulate public opinion.
“This bill will address the misinformation and blatant propaganda from foreign adversaries to influence users of all ages while protecting their privacy,” Gruters said. “They must disclose their social media platform’s content, curation, and algorithms if they operate in Florida.”
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The Department of Legal Affairs would be responsible for enforcing penalties for violations of Senate Bill 1448. Violations could result in fines of up to $10,000 per violation.
These penalties aim to deter foreign-owned social media platforms from disregarding the transparency and security requirements set forth in the legislation.
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