To prohibit the use of exploitative and deceptive practices by large online operators and to promote transparency and consumer choice in the use of behavioral research by such providers.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · July 27, 2023
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
The DETOUR Act prohibits large online platforms with over 100 million users from using deceptive design tactics that manipulate user choices or undermine their ability to make autonomous decisions about sharing data. The law specifically targets practices like obscuring privacy options, conducting behavioral experiments on users without clear consent, and designing interfaces that encourage compulsive usage in children and teenagers, such as auto-play features. Large online operators must disclose their research activities to users at least every 90 days, obtain explicit user consent before conducting behavioral experiments, and establish independent review boards to oversee such research. The bill requires the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop best practice guidelines for user-friendly design within 540 days, and gives the Federal Trade Commission authority to enforce the law and create regulations within two years. The legislation aims to increase transparency and protect consumer autonomy while allowing for minor design changes and privacy-enhancing defaults.
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