The Platform Accountability and Transparency Act (PATA) Introduced to Ensure Social Media Platform Transparency

Senators Coons (D-DE), Kloubuchar (D-MN) and Portman (R-OH) have introduced a bi-partisan proposed bill that would require social media companies to provide vetted, independent researchers and the public with access to certain platform data.

According to the bill’s press release, PATA proposes the following:

• Under PATA, independent researchers would be able to submit proposals to the National Science Foundation, an independent agency designed to promote the progress of science by approving research and development proposals from researchers across the sciences. If the requests are approved, social media companies would be required to provide the necessary data subject to certain privacy protections.

  • Companies that failed to comply would be subject to enforcement from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and face the potential loss of immunity under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.  

• Additionally, the bill would give the FTC the authority to require that platforms proactively make certain information available to researchers or the public on an ongoing basis, such as a comprehensive ad library with information about user targeting and engagement.

• The proposal would also protect researchers from legal liability that may arise from automatically collecting platform information if they comply with various privacy safeguards.  

The bill can be viewed here. 

This bill is important to watch as part of an ongoing trend of increasing policy scrutiny on the tech sector.

Lanton Law is a national boutique regulatory law and lobbying firm that focuses on technology and healthcare/life science. Our technology practice monitors relevant policy and regulatory decision makers and we counsel clients on emerging trends within this rapidly developing field. 

If you are an industry stakeholder with questions about the current landscape or if you would like to discuss how your organization’s strategic initiatives might be impacted by either Congress, regulatory agencies or legal decisions, contact us today.