The Algorithm Accountability Act would limit legal protections for major social media platforms when their recommendation algorithms cause bodily harm or death. Specifically, the bill requires social media platforms with over 1 million users to exercise "reasonable care" in designing and operating algorithms that rank and promote content, holding them liable if their algorithms foreseeably contribute to injuries or deaths of users or people harmed by users. The bill creates a private right of action allowing injured parties or their legal representatives to sue for compensatory and punitive damages, and it blocks social media companies from using arbitration agreements to avoid such lawsuits. The legislation exempts platforms like email services, messaging apps, video conferencing tools, review sites, music streaming services, and news outlets, and includes safeguards to prevent enforcement based on viewpoint discrimination. The bill contains no specific funding provisions or implementation timelines, as it primarily restructures existing legal liability frameworks rather than appropriating funds for new programs.
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