N.Y. Executive Law § 70-c: Task force on social media and violent extremism

§ 70-c. Task force on social media and violent extremism. 1.

Establishment and organization. (a) There is hereby established a task

force on social media and violent extremism within the department of

law.

(b) The attorney general may appoint or assign a deputy attorney

general and/or one or more assistants to serve on the task force.

(c) The mission of the task force on social media and violent

extremism shall be to study, investigate, and make recommendations

relating to the use, operations, policies, programs, and practices of

online social media companies and any role they may have in promoting,

facilitating, and providing platforms for individuals and groups to plan

and promote acts of violence, including but not limited to, the use of

such platforms to: initiate threats against public safety or against a

specific group of individuals based on an actual or perceived

classification or characteristic; communicate or plan for criminal

activity, including but not limited to, hate crimes, acts of domestic

terrorism, or acts of domestic terrorism motivated by hate; spread

extremist content; and aid in the radicalization and mobilization of

extremist individuals or groups.

2. Functions and duties. Subject to appropriations made available

therefor, the task force shall have the following duties and

responsibilities:

(a) to receive and investigate complaints from any source, or upon its

own initiative, allegations involving the use and role of social media

platforms in broadcasting, streaming, promoting, or otherwise

facilitating acts of violence as described in paragraph (c) of

subdivision one of this section;

(b) to determine, with respect to such allegations, whether social

media companies may be civilly or criminally liable for their role in

promoting, facilitating, or providing a platform for individuals and

groups to plan and promote acts of violence as described in paragraph

(c) of subdivision one of this section, or whether further investigation

by the department of law is warranted or whether a referral to an

appropriate federal, state or local law enforcement agency is necessary,

and to assist in such investigations, if requested by a federal, state,

or local law enforcement agency;

(c) to prepare and make public reports regarding the work of the task

force, provided, however that such reports shall not include

confidential or other protected information or any information that

pertains to or may interfere with ongoing or future investigations;

(d) to review and examine periodically the use, operations, policies,

programs, and practices of social media companies and any role they may

have in promoting, facilitating, and providing platforms for individuals

and groups to plan and promote acts of violence as described in

paragraph (c) of subdivision one of this section;

(e) to cooperate with and assist the division of homeland security and

emergency services or any other state or local agency as may be

appropriate in their efforts to counter acts of violence as described in

paragraph (c) of subdivision one of this section;

(f) to review the final report of the domestic terrorism task force

established pursuant to section six of part R of chapter fifty-five of

the laws of two thousand twenty, setting forth the findings,

conclusions, recommendations, and activities of the task force, to

examine and evaluate how to prevent mass shootings by domestic

terrorists in New York state in furtherance of the goals of the task

force on social media and violent extremism;

(g) to recommend remedial action to prevent the use of social media

platforms by individuals and groups to plan and promote acts of violence

as described in paragraph (c) of subdivision one of this section;

(h) on an annual basis, to submit to the governor, the temporary

president of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, the minority

leader of the senate and the minority leader of the assembly, no later

than December thirty-first, a report summarizing the activities of the

task force and recommending specific changes to state law to further the

mission of the task force on social media and violent extremism; and

(i) to perform any other functions and duties that are necessary or

appropriate to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of the task

force.

3. Powers. In executing its duties under subdivision two of this

section, the task force shall have the power to:

(a) subpoena and enforce the attendance of witnesses;

(b) administer oaths or affirmations and examine witnesses under oath;

(c) request and receive from the division of homeland security and

emergency services, the division of state police, the division of

criminal justice services, and from every department, division, board,

bureau, commission or other agency of the state, or of any political

subdivision thereof, cooperation and assistance in the performance of

its duties;

(d) provide technical and other assistance to any district attorney or

other local law enforcement official requesting such assistance in the

investigation or prosecution of cases involving the role of social media

platforms in broadcasting, streaming, promoting, or otherwise

facilitating acts of violence as described in paragraph (c) of

subdivision one of this section; and

(e) conduct hearings at any place within the state and require the

production of any books, records, documents or other evidence he or she

may deem relevant or material to an investigation.