United States of America: Introduced SAFETY on Social Media Act of 2023 (S 872)

On 17 March 2023, a "Bill to identify social media entities under the influence of certain foreign entities and to take measures to protect the United States from such entities, and for other purposes" (SAFETY on Social Media Act of 2023-S 872) was introduced in the US Senate. In particular, the Act would blacklist and sanction "untrustworthy" social media services controlled by a foreign entity of concern. The Act would enable the President to publish and submit to Congress a list of social media entities that alter the content of an app or website to comply with the request or advance the interests of a foreign entity of concern. Alternatively, the list can include entities that have shared the data of United States persons with a foreign entity of concern. In addition, the Act would require the Federal Communications Commission to remove blacklisted apps from app stores and internet service providers to block access to the sites of those sanctioned companies. The Act could enable the complete ban of companies such as TikTok in the United States.