Big Tech Accountability: Franklin State Senator Proposes Bill

FRANKLIN, WI — Wisconsin State Senator Julian Bradley proposed a new bill aimed at changing regulations around social media companies in Wisconsin, according to a news release from Bradley.

Bradley authored the bill alongside Wisconsin Senator Steve Nass, Assembly Representative Cody Horlacher and Assembly Representative Calvin Callahan. The bill would regulate "big tech companies" and the speech on their platforms, according to the news release.

Julian Bradley is the 28th district Wisconsin State Senator.

The bill would:

• Require companies to publish their moderation standards and apply that moderation consistently across all users, according to the news release.
• Require that companies provide notice and explanation when they remove content that goes against their guidelines. The bill would also require that companies publish each year a notice of whatever algorithms are used in moderating content, the news release said.
• "Allow users to opt-out of an algorithm's post prioritization," the news release said.

Alongside the many new requirements, the bill would also prohibit social media companies from removing content by or about candidates in Wisconsin or elected officials.

Companies that remove content "by or about" political candidates would be liable to be sued by citizens under the bill. The proposed regulations have not been introduced into law.

See Senator Bradley's full statement.

A full copy of the bill is available online.