Social Media Giants Face Transparency Deadline Under NY’s ‘Stop Hiding Hate’ Act

New York’s Attorney General Letitia James has issued a resounding decree against social media giants. Under the new ‘Stop Hiding Hate’ Act, these platforms must now disclose their content moderation policies to her office, a move aimed at combating online hate and misinformation.

Effective from October 1st, any social media company generating over $100 million in gross annual revenue in New York is required to submit biannual reports detailing how they tackle hate speech, racism, misinformation, and other harmful content. The law necessitates these companies to make their terms of service reports accessible online by January 1st.

Attorney General James emphasized the urgency of this legislation: ‘With violence and polarization on the rise, social media companies must ensure that their platforms don’t fuel hateful rhetoric and disinformation.’ The law is a direct response to the increasing polarization and violence online, aiming for greater transparency from these powerful tech entities.

“Social media platforms should be a place for people to connect and share their interests — not a place where individuals can hide behind a keyboard to spread hate speech or harass others,” Governor Kathy Hochul echoed. The legislation builds on efforts to enhance safety online and is a significant stride towards accountability.

Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal highlighted the importance of this reporting: ‘The commencement of required reporting by social media companies is an important milestone toward allowing New Yorkers to better decide which platforms they utilize.’ Transparency, he asserts, will reduce the circulation of hate speech and misinformation.

Assemblymember Grace Lee concluded, “New Yorkers will finally get the transparency they deserve from social media companies.” She emphasized the importance of data in holding platforms accountable and protecting communities from online harm.