,i  #aaf? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #fehf  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(          
,,repres5tatives  ,april #ba1 #bjbj,mr4 
,k9z+] introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0   
ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,en]gy &      
,comm]ce  ,a ,,bill  ,to prohibit !     
creation & use ( fake social m$ia       
acc\nts or pr(iles & ! s5d+ ( fraudul5t 
emails or o!r electronic messages1 & to 
require c]ta9 social m$ia companies to  
remove fake or h>mful acc\nts & pr(iles 
f _! plat=ms4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act
 may be cit$ z ! ,social ,m$ia          
,acc\ntability & ,acc\nt ,v]ification   
,act4  #b4 ,def9itions ,z us$ 9 ?is     
,act1 ! foll[+ def9itions apply3 7#a7 ,!
 t]m appropriate congressional          
committees means ,committee on ,en]gy & 
,comm]ce ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives & !
 ,committee on ,comm]ce1 ,sci5ce1 &     
,transportation ( ! ,s5ate4  7#b7 ,! t]m
 ,commission means ! ,f$]al ,trade      
,commission4  7#c7 ,! t]m deceptive     
acc\nt or pr(ile means1 ) respect to a  
social m$ia plat=m1 an acc\nt or pr(ile 

creat$ by a us] t-- 7,a7 7i7 purports to
 be ( an individual :o is n ! individual
 :o creat$ su* acc\nt or pr(ile2 or     
7ii7 uses ! "n or lik5ess ( ano!r       
individual2 &  7,b7 is utiliz$ by a us] 
to-- 7i7 p]petrate or attempt to        
p]petrate f9ancial or physical h>m1 or  
?reat ( f9ancial or physical h>m1 or o!r
 crime aga9/ ano!r us]2 or  7ii7 furni% 
in=mation to o!r us]s z a means ( assi/+
 or p>ticipat+ 9 f9ancial or physical   
h>m1 or ?reat ( f9ancial or physical    
h>m1 or ano!r crime aga9/ ano!r us]4    
7#d7 ,! t]m social m$ia company means   
any p]son t owns1 manages1 or op]ates a 
social m$ia plat=m4  7#e7 ,! t]m social 
m$ia plat=m-- 7,a7 means a website or   
int]net m$ium t-- 7i7 p]mits a p]son to 
become a regi/]$ us]1 e/abli% an acc\nt1
 or create a pr(ile = ! purpose ( all[+ 
us]s to create1 %>e1 & view us]-g5]at$  
cont5t ?r\gh su* an acc\nt or pr(ile2   
7ii7 enables "o or m us]s to g5]ate     
cont5t t c be view$ by o!r us]s ( !     
m$ium2 &  7iii7 prim>ily s]ves z a m$ium

 = us]s to int]act ) cont5t g5]at$ by   
o!r us]s ( ! m$ium2 &  7,b7 does n      
include-- 7i7 any su* plat=m t s]ves    
few] ?an #ajj1jjj us]s2  7ii7 an email  
program1 email di/ribution li/s1        
multi-p]son text message gr\ps1 or a    
website t is prim>ily = ! purpose (     
int]net comm]ce2  7iii7 a private plat=m
 or messag+ s]vice us$ by an entity     
solely to communicate ) o!rs employ$ by 
or affiliat$ ) su* entity2 or  7iv7 an  
int]net-bas$ plat=m ^: prim>y purpose   
is-- 7,i7 to all[ us]s to po/ product   
reviews1 bus9ess reviews1 travel        
in=mation & reviews2 or  7,,ii7 to      
provide news or ent]ta9m5t cont5t1 b t  
may also include a comm5t section = us]s
 to discuss su* news or ent]ta9m5t      
cont5t4  #c4 ,limit$ rulemak+ relat$ to 
us] acc\nt v]ification  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,n 
lat] ?an "o ye> aft] ! date ( enactm5t (
 ?is ,act1 ! ,commission %all issue     
regulations "u section #eec ( title #e1 
,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 to require social  
m$ia companies to remove deceptive or   

fraudul5t acc\nts or pr(iles f _! social
 m$ia plat=ms &1 to ! greate/ ext5t     
practicable1 v]ify ! creator ( su*      
acc\nts4  7b7 ,requir$ compon5ts ,!     
regulations issu$ "u ?is section %all   
include & be limit$ to ! foll[+         
requirem5ts = social m$ia companies3    
7#a7 ,e/abli%m5t ( a readily available  
means by :i* an individual us] may      
reque/ a social m$ia company to         
inve/igate & remove a deceptive acc\nt  
or pr(ile or multiple simil> acc\nts or 
pr(iles1 includ+ a requirem5t t ! social
 m$ia company1 ^u notification ( a      
v]ifi$ compla9t reg>d+ a deceptive us]  
acc\nt or pr(ile z describ$ 9 ?is ,act1 
responds exp$iti\sly )9 a reasonable "t1
 b no lat] ?an #de days1 to remove1 or  
disable access to1 any deceptive acc\nt 
or pr(ile & any o!r mat]ials & messages 
publi%$ ?r\gh t acc\nt or pr(ile nam$ 9 
su* reque/4 ,! ,commission %all include 
in/ructions on its int]net website on h[
 a us] may make su* a reque/ to a social
 m$ia company4  7#b7 ,if1 aft] an       

inve/igation into ! deceptive acc\nt or 
pr(ile reque/$ to be remov$ "u p>agraph 
7#a71 a social m$ia company det]m9es su*
 acc\nt or pr(ile is n deceptive1 !     
social m$ia company %all exp$iti\sly )9 
a reasonable "t1 b no lat] ?an #de days1
 notify ! individual submitt+ ! reque/ !
 reasons = mak+ su* det]m9ation4 ,su*   
notification %all provide su* individual
 ! website address 7or a hyp]l9k to su* 
address7 to ! ,commission's web page s t
 ! individual may regi/] a compla9t ) ! 
,commission t ! social m$ia company may 
n be 9 compliance ) ! regulations issu$ 
"u ?is section4  7#c7 ,a requirem5t t a 
social m$ia company take escalat+       
actions aga9/ individuals :o make false 
or bad fai? reque/s "u p>agraph 7#a71   
includ+ a w>n+1 susp5sion ( any acc\nts 
( su* individuals1 & bann+ su*          
individuals f ! social m$ia plat=m4  7c7
 ,public comm5t on o!r matt]s ,to be    
consid]$  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,commission  
%all solicit public comm5t on includ+ 9 
its rulemak+-- 7,a7 ! mo/ effective1    

feasible1 & appropriate means = a social
 m$ia company to v]ify t an acc\nt or   
pr(ile is n deceptive & contr>y to !    
purpose ( ?is ,act2  7,b7 ! feasibility1
 pot5tial effectiv5ess1 & appropriat5ess
 ( a requirem5t = social m$ia companies 
to develop programs to conduct          
rev]se-image se>*es across ! social m$ia
 company's social m$ia plat=m1 & across 
! int]net to det]m9e if any image ( an  
individual us$ z a pr(ile picture = a   
us] is-- 7i7 su* individual's actual    
lik5ess2 or  7ii7 an image also us$ by  
o!r us]s2 &  7,c7 a requirem5t t if a   
social m$ia company det]m9es t a us]'s  
pr(ile picture is n _! unique lik5ess   
aft] ! reviews conduct$ pursuant to     
p>agraph 7#b7 to flag ! acc\nt or pr(ile
 = additional scre5+ & review 9 an ef=t 
to det]m9e if an acc\nt is deceptive =  
purposes ( ?is ,act4  7#b7 ,limitation  
,any rev]se-image se>*es conduct$ by a  
social m$ia company pursuant to a       
rulemak+ "u ?is section %all be conduct$
 = ! sole purpose ( det]m9+ if an acc\nt

 or pr(ile on su* company's social m$ia 
plat=m is deceptive = purposes ( ?is    
,act4  7d7 ,p]iodic review & updates ,! 
,commission %all1 z appropriate1 b n    
few] ?an once e #g ye>s1 review !       
regulations issu$ pursuant to ?is       
section1 & if ,commission det]m9es su*  
regulations %\ld be updat$1 !           
,commission %all report recomm5dations =
 su* *anges to ! appropriate            
,congressional committees = consid]ation
 :e!r to conf] additional rulemak+      
au?ority to ! ,commission4 ,no?+ 9 ?is  
section %all be con/ru$ to conf] any new
 au?orities or p[]s ^u ! ,commission    
beyond :at is describ$ 9 ?is section4   
7e7 ,factors ,to consid] ,9 issu+ !     
regulations "u ?is section & any        
requirem5ts impos$ by su* regulations1 !
 ,commission-- 7#a7 may take into       
consid]ation-- 7,a7 ! size (1 & !       
nature1 scope1 & complexity (1 !        
activities engag$ 9 by su* social m$ia  
companies2  7,b7 ! feasibility ( comply+
 ) ea* regulation2  7,c7 ! curr5t /ate (

 ! art 9 adm9i/rative & te*nical means =
 accompli%+ objectives describ$ 9       
subsections 7a7 & 7b72 &  7,d7 ! co/ to 
social m$ia companies ( implem5t+       
policies1 practices1 & proc$ures        
necess>y to comply ) ?is ,act2 &  7#b7  
%all /rive to make ea* regulation       
reasonable1 flexible1 & risk-bas$ =     
diff]5t sizes & practices ( social m$ia 
plat=ms cov]$ by ?is ,act4  #d4         
,en=cem5t by ,commission  7a7 ,unfair or
 deceptive acts or practices ,a         
violation ( a regulation issu$ "u       
section #c %all be treat$ z an unfair & 
deceptive act or practice 9 violation ( 
a regulation "u section #ah7;a77#a77;,b7
 ( ! ,f$]al ,trade ,commission ,act 7#ae
 ,u4,s4,c4 #eg;a7a77#a77;,b77 reg>d+    
unfair or deceptive acts or practices4  
7b7 ,p[]s ( commission ,! ,commission   
%all en=ce ?is ,act 9 ! same mann]1 by !
 same means1 & ) ! same jurisdiction1   
p[]s1 & duties z ?\gh all applicable    
t]ms & provisions ( ! ,f$]al ,trade     
,commission ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #da et  

seq47 7 incorporat$ into & made a "p (  
?is ,act1 & any social m$ia company     
subject to ! ,commission's au?ority :o  
violates ?is ,act %all be subject to !  
p5alties & entitl$ to ! privileges &    
immunities provid$ 9 ! ,f$]al ,trade    
,commission ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #da et  
seq474 ,no?+ 9 ?is ,act %all be con/ru$ 
to limit ! au?ority ( ! ,f$]al ,trade   
,commission "u any o!r provision ( law4 
7c7 ,effect ( guidance ,no guidance     
issu$ by ! ,commission ) respect to ?is 
,act %all conf] any rights on any p]son1
 ,/ate1 or locality1 nor %all op]ate to 
b9d ! ,commission or any p]son to !     
approa* recomm5d$ 9 su* guidel9es4 ,!   
,commission %all n base an en=cem5t     
action on1 or execute a cons5t ord] bas$
 on1 practices t are alleg$ to be       
inconsi/5t ) any su* guidel9es1 unless !
 practices alleg$ly violate a provision 
( su* regulations4  7d7 ,opportunity ,to
 cure ,be=e be+ assess$ any civil p5alty
 = a violation ( su* regulations1 a     
social m$ia company %all be af=d$ a     

reasonable opportunity to br+ itself    
into compliance ) su* regulations4 ,if a
 social m$ia company does n meet !      
requirem5ts ( su* regulations1 ! social 
m$ia company %all h an opportunity to   
expla9 to ! ,commission ! reasons =     
noncompliance z well z ! actions !      
social m$ia company int5ds to come into 
compliance ) su* requirem5ts4  #e4      
,report ,n lat] ?an #b ye>s aft] ! date 
( enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,commission1 9 
consultation ) o!r entities1 z          
appropriate1 %all issue a report to     
,congress1 includ+-- 7#a7 an assessm5t  
(-- 7,a7 g5]al compliance ) ?is ,act by 
social m$ia companies2 &  7,b7 !        
efficacy ( social m$ia companies'       
processes to comply ) ?is ,act2 &  7#b7 
any policy recomm5dations = ,congress to
 consid] t ! ,commission det]m9es to be 
necess>y = or w\ld facilitate ! en=cem5t
 ( ?is ,act4