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Congress·In Committee·3 months ago

Congress Proposes Allowing Lawsuits Against Social Media Companies for Harmful Algorithms

Also known as: Algorithm Accountability Act

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
Review
House
Senate
President

Impact Analysis

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Key Points

  • Congress introduced a plan to hold social media companies responsible if the computer programs that suggest content to users lead to physical injury or death. This would change long-standing rules that usually protect these companies from being sued over what people see on their sites.
  • Large social media platforms with more than 1 million users would be required to carefully design and test their recommendation systems. The goal is to make sure these systems do not promote dangerous activities or content that a reasonable person could see might cause someone to get hurt.
  • If someone is injured or killed because of how a recommendation program worked, they or their family could sue the company for money in federal court. The bill also prevents companies from using "fine print" contracts to block these lawsuits or force them into private meetings instead of a public courtroom.
  • These new rules would only apply to programs that suggest content based on a user's personal data. They would not apply to simple searches, posts shown in the order they were shared, or smaller websites and apps used for things like shopping, email, and news.
Technology DigitalCivil Rights

Milestones

3 milestones3 actions
Nov 21, 2025House

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Nov 21, 2025

Introduced in House

Nov 21, 2025

Introduced in House

Related News

4 articles
The Register·3 months ago

Senators propose to let users sue tech giants for harmful algos

Senators John Curtis and Mark Kelly introduced the Algorithm Accountability Act to amend Section 230, forcing a 'duty of care' on social media platforms. The bill seeks to hold companies liable if recommendation algorithms push content leading to bodily injury or death.

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Techdirt·3 months ago

Bipartisan Senators Want To Honor Charlie Kirk By Making It Easier To Censor The Internet

Critics argue the Algorithm Accountability Act would transform internet governance by stripping Section 230 protections. The bill would create a private cause of action for individuals to sue if algorithms amplify content that causes harm, potentially leading to mass censorship.

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FIRE·3 months ago

You can't eliminate real-world violence by suing over online speech

The Algorithm Accountability Act would require social media platforms to prevent their algorithms from contributing to foreseeable bodily injury. Legal experts warn this threatens users' expressive rights and protects the editorial decisions of hosts.

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Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Algorithm Accountability Act

Bill NumberHR 6266
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionReferred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(1)
D: 1

Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.