SACRAMENTO – A California lawmaker wants anyone operating a social media website with news to run their stories through a state-approved verification process before publication. If it could happen in California, watch for Illinois liberals to "see the need" for similar legislation, as well.
It's "to mitigate the spread of false information," the bill's wording says. The definition of "false information" or how the fact checker board would function and who would serve on it is not mentioned.
The bill does not require radio, newsprint or television news sources to follow the same protocol, however. The bill is SB1424 Internet: social media: false information: strategic plan.
This bill would require any person who operates a social media, as defined, Internet Web site with a physical presence in California to develop a strategic plan to verify news stories shared on its Web site. The bill would require the plan to include, among other things, a plan to mitigate the spread of false information through news stories, the utilization of fact-checkers to verify news stories, providing outreach to social media users, and placing a warning on a news story containing false information.
(a) Any person who operates a social media Internet Web site with physical presence in California shall develop a strategic plan to verify news stories shared on its Internet Web site.
(b) The strategic plan shall include, but is not limited to, all of the following:
(1) A plan to mitigate the spread of false information through news stories.
(2) The utilization of fact-checkers to verify news stories.
(3) Providing outreach to social media users regarding news stories containing false information.
(4) Placing a warning on a news story containing false information.
(c) As used in this section, “social media” means an electronic service or account, or electronic content, including, but not limited to, videos, still photographs, blogs, video blogs, podcasts, instant and text messages, email, online services or accounts, or Internet Web site profiles or locations.
