Bill Details
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AI Summary This summary was generated by AI from the bill text. AI can get information wrong.
This bill would require inspectors general to include more information in their reports to Congress about communications between federal agencies and online platforms. In simple terms, it is meant to increase transparency by making agencies report details about any contact, or attempted contact, with social media companies and similar internet services, especially when those talks involve content moderation or other issues tied to online speech and platform tools.
- It would amend the Inspector General Act of 1978 to add a new reporting requirement.
- Inspectors general would have to give a detailed description of communications, or attempts to communicate, between a federal agency and an internet service, content provider, or access software provider.
- The report would cover talks about content moderation, as well as user content such as posts, photos, and videos.
- It would also cover other communications about a platform’s data inputs, algorithms, modeling and simulation processes, analysis tools, or related tools.
Official Summaries
Transparency in Bureaucratic Communications Act
This bill requires federal offices of inspectors general to include in their existing semiannual reports to Congress information about any communications between their department or agency and certain online platforms and services.
Specifically, such reports must include details on the contents and circumstances of any communication or attempted communication with an internet platform, information content provider, or access software provider. Covered communications include those addressing specific online content, content moderation practices, and any other topic related to a platform's or service's data inputs, algorithms, modeling and simulation processes, analysis tools, or any related tool.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 66 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 66
To amend title 5, United States Code, to instruct Inspectors General to
report to Congress on social media communications.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 9, 2025
Mr. Schmitt introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 5, United States Code, to instruct Inspectors General to
report to Congress on social media communications.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Transparency in Bureaucratic
Communications Act''.
SEC. 2. INSPECTOR GENERAL ACT OF 1978.
Section 405(b) of title 5, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in paragraph (21)(B), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in paragraph (22)(B), by striking the period at the end
and inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(23) a detailed description of the contents and
particular circumstances of any communication, or attempted
communication, between the establishment and any internet
computer service, information content provider, or access
software provider (as defined under section 230(f) of the
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 230(f)), including--
``(A) communications regarding content moderation
(as described under section 230(c)(2) of the
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 230(c)(2));
``(B) user content, including posts, photos, and
videos; and
``(C) any other communications relating to the
internet computer service, information content
provider, or access software provider's data inputs,
algorithms, modeling and simulation processes, analysis
tools, or any related tool.''.
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