In response to increased pressure regarding a rapidly-changing digital landscape, California recently proposed a bill that would make it unlawful for any person to use an automated account or bot to communicate with people online without clearly and conspicuously disclosing that the bot is not a natural person.
Platforms (such as Facebook, for example), after receiving notice of a bot, would be required to investigate and determine whether or not to disclose that the bot is not a natural person or remove the bot within 72 hours of receipt of the notice.
It would require the social platforms to let people report violations, respond to those reports, and provide bimonthly details of those violations to the state Attorney General. The legislation is scheduled to go through two committees in California this month.
