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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to disclosures about certain automated posts on social |
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media platforms; providing a civil penalty. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 120, Business & Commerce |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 120.0521 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 120.0521. DISCLOSURE REQUIRED FOR POSTS BY BOTS. (a) |
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In this section, "bot account" means an account controlled by an |
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automated software program that is designed to impersonate or |
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replicate human activity online by posting content on a social |
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media platform. |
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(b) A social media platform shall publish the disclosure |
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described by Subsection (c) on any content posted on the platform |
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that is known to be posted by a bot account. |
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(c) A disclosure required by Subsection (b) must include: |
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(1) a notice that the content was posted by a bot |
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account; and |
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(2) a warning that content posted by a bot account may |
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contain misinformation. |
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(d) A social media platform that violates this section is |
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liable for a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed $7,500 for |
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each violation. |
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(e) The attorney general may investigate a complaint |
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alleging a violation of this section. If the attorney general |
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determines that a violation has occurred, the attorney general may |
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bring an action to recover the civil penalty described by |
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Subsection (d). |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |