§ 70-C — Task force on social media and violent extremism

§ 70-c. Task force on social media and violent extremism. 1.\nEstablishment and organization. (a) There is hereby established a task\nforce on social media and violent extremism within the department of\nlaw.\n (b) The attorney general may appoint or assign a deputy attorney\ngeneral and/or one or more assistants to serve on the task force.\n (c) The mission of the task force on social media and violent\nextremism shall be to study, investigate, and make recommendations\nrelating to the use, operations, policies, programs, and practices of\nonline social media companies and any role they may have in promoting,\nfacilitating, and providing platforms for individuals and groups to plan\nand promote acts of violence, including but not limited to, the use of\nsuch platforms to: initiate threats against public safety or against a\nspecific group of individuals based on an actual or perceived\nclassification or characteristic; communicate or plan for criminal\nactivity, including but not limited to, hate crimes, acts of domestic\nterrorism, or acts of domestic terrorism motivated by hate; spread\nextremist content; and aid in the radicalization and mobilization of\nextremist individuals or groups.\n 2. Functions and duties. Subject to appropriations made available\ntherefor, the task force shall have the following duties and\nresponsibilities:\n (a) to receive and investigate complaints from any source, or upon its\nown initiative, allegations involving the use and role of social media\nplatforms in broadcasting, streaming, promoting, or otherwise\nfacilitating acts of violence as described in paragraph (c) of\nsubdivision one of this section;\n (b) to determine, with respect to such allegations, whether social\nmedia companies may be civilly or criminally liable for their role in\npromoting, facilitating, or providing a platform for individuals and\ngroups to plan and promote acts of violence as described in paragraph\n(c) of subdivision one of this section, or whether further investigation\nby the department of law is warranted or whether a referral to an\nappropriate federal, state or local law enforcement agency is necessary,\nand to assist in such investigations, if requested by a federal, state,\nor local law enforcement agency;\n (c) to prepare and make public reports regarding the work of the task\nforce, provided, however that such reports shall not include\nconfidential or other protected information or any information that\npertains to or may interfere with ongoing or future investigations;\n (d) to review and examine periodically the use, operations, policies,\nprograms, and practices of social media companies and any role they may\nhave in promoting, facilitating, and providing platforms for individuals\nand groups to plan and promote acts of violence as described in\nparagraph (c) of subdivision one of this section;\n (e) to cooperate with and assist the division of homeland security and\nemergency services or any other state or local agency as may be\nappropriate in their efforts to counter acts of violence as described in\nparagraph (c) of subdivision one of this section;\n (f) to review the final report of the domestic terrorism task force\nestablished pursuant to section six of part R of chapter fifty-five of\nthe laws of two thousand twenty, setting forth the findings,\nconclusions, recommendations, and activities of the task force, to\nexamine and evaluate how to prevent mass shootings by domestic\nterrorists in New York state in furtherance of the goals of the task\nforce on social media and violent extremism;\n (g) to recommend remedial action to prevent the use of social media\nplatforms by individuals and groups to plan and promote acts of violence\nas described in paragraph (c) of subdivision one of this section;\n (h) on an annual basis, to submit to the governor, the temporary\npresident of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, the minority\nleader of the senate and the minority leader of the assembly, no later\nthan December thirty-first, a report summarizing the activities of the\ntask force and recommending specific changes to state law to further the\nmission of the task force on social media and violent extremism; and\n (i) to perform any other functions and duties that are necessary or\nappropriate to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of the task\nforce.\n 3. Powers. In executing its duties under subdivision two of this\nsection, the task force shall have the power to:\n (a) subpoena and enforce the attendance of witnesses;\n (b) administer oaths or affirmations and examine witnesses under oath;\n (c) request and receive from the division of homeland security and\nemergency services, the division of state police, the division of\ncriminal justice services, and from every department, division, board,\nbureau, commission or other agency of the state, or of any political\nsubdivision thereof, cooperation and assistance in the performance of\nits duties;\n (d) provide technical and other assistance to any district attorney or\nother local law enforcement official requesting such assistance in the\ninvestigation or prosecution of cases involving the role of social media\nplatforms in broadcasting, streaming, promoting, or otherwise\nfacilitating acts of violence as described in paragraph (c) of\nsubdivision one of this section; and\n (e) conduct hearings at any place within the state and require the\nproduction of any books, records, documents or other evidence he or she\nmay deem relevant or material to an investigation.\n