HR 3875, the TERMS Act, requires online service providers (like social media platforms or apps requiring user accounts) to clearly explain their rules for suspending or terminating accounts. It mandates that providers publicly disclose their acceptable use policies in plain language, including what actions could lead to account restrictions, how enforcement works, and appeal options. Providers must also give users advance written notice before restricting accounts (with limited exceptions for court orders or immediate safety risks) and publish annual reports detailing how often they enforced their policies. These requirements aim to give users transparency about account decisions and promote competition by making platform rules more understandable.
The SCAM Act requires online platforms that accept payment for advertisements to verify advertiser identities (including government ID and business documentation) and implement systems to detect and remove scam ads within 72 hours of reporting. It mandates platforms to conduct investigations, remove verified fraudulent ads within 24 hours, and maintain active impersonation detection programs. The law directly affects major social media and digital advertising platforms by imposing new verification and monitoring obligations to prevent deceptive ads targeting consumers. Enforcement falls to the Federal Trade Commission, treating violations as unfair or deceptive practices under existing law.
The SCREEN Act requires online platforms that create, host, or make available pornographic content for profit to implement age verification technology that prevents minors from accessing such content. Covered platforms must use technology to verify users' age and block access to content defined as "harmful to minors" - material that appeals to prurient interest, depicts sexual acts in a patently offensive way, and lacks serious value for minors. The Federal Trade Commission will enforce the law, requiring platforms to conduct regular audits, maintain reasonable data security for age verification information, and make their verification processes public. Platforms must comply with these requirements within one year of the bill's enactment, with the goal of protecting minors from exposure to online pornography.
S 3540, the LISTOS Act of 2025, requires major online platforms (those with 10 million+ U.S. monthly active users) to ensure consistent content moderation across languages where they generate revenue. It mandates annual public reports detailing staffing levels, language proficiency, translation practices, automated system performance, and moderation outcomes for each monetized language. Platforms must also make reporting tools and policies accessible in all supported languages. Enforcement falls to the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general, with penalties for noncompliance.
The TLDR Act requires major online platforms (excluding small businesses) to provide simplified, accessible summaries of their terms of service. These summaries must appear at the top of terms pages and include key details like categories of user data processed, legal liabilities (e.g., arbitration clauses), historical terms changes, recent data breaches, and estimated reading time. Platforms must also display interactive data flow diagrams showing how user data is shared with third parties and provide full terms in an interactive format. Enforcement will be handled by the Federal Trade Commission under existing FTC Act provisions, with states allowed to pursue cases affecting 1,000+ residents.
HR 6266, the Algorithm Accountability Act, amends Section 230 of the Communications Act to require large social media platforms (with over 1 million users) to design recommendation algorithms with "reasonable care" to prevent foreseeable bodily injury or death. It removes Section 230 liability protection for platforms violating this duty, allowing victims to sue for damages in court. The law specifically targets algorithms that curate content based on user data (like likes or behavior), excluding chronological feeds and initial search results. It preserves stronger state laws and prohibits pre-litigation arbitration for these claims.
S 153, the Repeal the TikTok Ban Act, would eliminate the federal ban on TikTok and similar apps previously prohibited under the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. The bill specifically repeals that law and invalidates all prior designations of TikTok or other apps as "foreign adversary controlled," removing the legal restrictions on these platforms. This directly affects TikTok and comparable applications that were subject to the ban, allowing them to operate without federal restrictions. The key mechanism is the complete repeal of the existing law and retroactive nullification of its enforcement provisions. (3 sentences)
The Algorithm Accountability Act (S 3193) amends Section 230 of the Communications Act to require major social media platforms (with over 1 million users) to exercise "reasonable care" in designing algorithms that suggest content, aiming to prevent foreseeable bodily injury or death linked to those algorithms. It removes liability protection for platforms that fail this duty, allowing victims or their representatives to sue for damages in federal court. Exceptions include chronological content sorting and initial search results, but not algorithms used after a user navigates beyond those results. The bill does not affect small platforms (under 1 million users), email services, direct messaging apps, or non-algorithmic services like review sites or streaming platforms.
This bill requires broadband providers and large "edge providers" (like social media, streaming, and search companies) to contribute to the Universal Service Fund (USF), which supports affordable broadband in rural and high-cost areas. It expands the USF contribution base beyond traditional phone companies to include these digital services, with exemptions for smaller providers (e.g., those handling under 3% of U.S. data or earning under $5 billion annually). The Federal Communications Commission must create new rules within 18 months to ensure fair contributions and establish a specific support mechanism for broadband providers serving high-cost areas. The goal is to make broadband more affordable for consumers by ensuring broader funding for universal service programs.
The Digital Integrity in Democracy Act (S 840) amends Section 230 of the Communications Act to create a limited exception to social media platform liability protection. It requires large platforms (with ≥25 million U.S. monthly users) to remove "false election administration information" within 24-48 hours after receiving a valid complaint - defined as objectively incorrect facts about election timing, location, voter eligibility, or penalties, but excluding political speech about candidates or parties. Platforms face $50,000 fines per violation for failing to remove such content, with enforcement by the Attorney General, states, or candidates. The law applies only to factual misinformation about election administration, not opinions or political advocacy.
