(WLIO) - Ohio Senator Rob Portman has introduced a bill that would require transparency from social media platforms.
The Platform Accountability and Transparency Act would require social media companies to provide independent researchers and the public with access to certain platform data. Portman has been vocal about social media not being able to prevent child sexual abuse material from being uploaded. But before lawmakers can make laws about that and other issues, they need to know how social media sites operate.
"Many people think their privacy is being invaded," says Senator Rob Portman, (R) Ohio. "Like, if somebody is on one of these platforms and expresses an interest in a certain area, then suddenly they get an avalanche of information that they didn't want or ask for. How does that happen? And then of course, on the issue of how do you deal with some of the material that is getting online that is really offensive, particularly for our kids, why is that happening and how can you come up with ways to avoid that?"
Portman hopes that the bill will pass before he gets out of office, so future lawmakers can make policy on regulating social media.
