SF 4674

Introduction - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)

Posted on 03/24/2026 10:36 a.m.

A bill for an act
relating to consumer protection; creating a social media behavioral threat assessment
reporting requirement; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 325M.31;
proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 325M.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 325M.31, is amended to read:

325M.31 DEFINITIONS.

(a) For purposes of sections 325M.30 to deleted text begin 325M.34 deleted text end new text begin 325M.36 new text end , the following terms have
the meanings given.

(b) "Accessible user interface" means a way for a user to input data, make a choice, or
take an action on a social media platform in two clicks or fewer.

(c) "Account holder" means a natural person or legal person who holds an account or
profile with a social media platform.

(d) "Account interactions" means any action that a user can make within a social media
platform that could have a negative impact on another account holder. Account interactions
include but are not limited to:

(1) sending messages or invitations to users;

(2) reporting users;

(3) commenting on, resharing, liking, voting, or otherwise reacting to users' user-generated
content; and

(4) posting user-generated content or disseminating user-generated content to users.

Actions that have no impact on other users, including viewing user-generated content or
public content, are not account interactions.

(e) "Algorithmic ranking system" means a computational process, including one derived
from algorithmic decision making, machine learning, statistical analysis, or other data
processing or artificial intelligence techniques, used to determine the selection, order, relative
prioritization, or relative prominence of content from a set of information that is provided
to a user on a social media platform, including search results ranking, content
recommendations, content display, or any other automated content selection method.

(f) "Conspicuously" means the information is presented in a manner, given the
information's size, color, contrast, location, and proximity to any related information, as to
be readily noticed and understood by a reasonable user.

(g) "Content" means any media, including but not limited to written posts, images, visual
or audio recordings, notifications, and games, that a user views, reads, watches, listens to,
or otherwise interacts or engages with on a social media platform. Content includes other
account holders' accounts or profiles when recommended to a user by the social media
platform.

(h) "Engage" or "engagement" means a user's utilization of the social media platform.

(i) "Expressed preferences" means a freely given, considered, specific, and unambiguous
indication of a user's preferences regarding the user's engagement with a social media
platform. Expressed preferences must not be based on the user's time spent engaging with
content on the social media platform or on the use of features that do not indicate explicit
preference, including comments made, posts reshared, or similar actions that may be taken
on content the user perceives to be of low quality. Expressed preferences must not be
obtained through a user interface designed or manipulated with the substantial effect of
subverting or impairing a user's decision making.

(j) "Social media platform" means an electronic medium, including a browser-based or
application-based interactive computer service, Internet website, telephone network, or data
network, that allows an account holder to create, share, and view user-generated content
for a substantial purpose of social interaction, sharing user-generated content, or personal
networking. Social media platform does not include:

(1) an Internet search provider;

(2) an Internet service provider;

(3) an email service;

(4) a streaming service, online video game, e-commerce, or other Internet website where
the content is not user generated but where interactive functions enable chat, comments,
reviews, or other interactive functionality that is incidental to, directly related to, or dependent
upon providing the content;

(5) a communication service, including text, audio, or video communication technology,
provided by a business to the business's employees and clients for use in the course of
business activities and not for public distribution, except that social media platform includes
a communication service provided by a social media platform;

(6) an advertising network with the sole function of delivering commercial content;

(7) a telecommunications carrier, as defined in United States Code, title 47, section 153;

(8) a broadband service, as defined in section 116J.39, subdivision 1;

(9) single-purpose community groups for education or public safety;

(10) teleconferencing or video-conferencing services that allow reception and transmission
of audio and video signals for real-time communication, except that social media platform
includes teleconferencing or video-conferencing services provided by a social media platform;

(11) cloud computing services, which may include cloud storage and shared document
collaboration;

(12) providing or obtaining technical support for a platform, product, or service; or

(13) a platform designed primarily and specifically for creative professional users, as
distinct from the general public, to share their portfolio and creative content, engage in
professional networking, acquire clients, and market the creative professional user's creative
content and creative services through facilitated transactions.

(k) "Time sensitive" means content that is welcomed under a user's expressed preferences
and that has significantly reduced value to the user with the passing of time.

(l) "User" means a natural person who is located in Minnesota and who holds an account
or profile with a social media platform.

(m) "User-generated content" means any content created by an account holder that is
uploaded, posted, shared, or disseminated on the social media platform.

Sec. 2.

new text begin [325M.36] SOCIAL MEDIA BEHAVIORAL THREAT ASSESSMENT AND
REPORTING.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have
the meanings given.
new text end

new text begin (b) "Educational facility" means a child care center, a school, or any postsecondary
education institution located in this state.
new text end

new text begin (c) "Religious institution" has the meaning given in section 327.30, subdivision 1,
paragraph (f), when located in this state, as well as affiliated facilities including homes,
schools, or buildings operated by a religious institution when located in this state.
new text end

new text begin (d) "Targeted violence" means a deliberate act of violence directed at a specific person,
group, or location, regardless of motivation, that violates criminal laws of the United States
or the state of Minnesota.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Social media behavioral threat assessment and reporting; requirements. new text end

new text begin (a)
A social media platform must provide continuous review of user-generated content in order
to identify and report to the Minnesota Fusion Center (MNFC) articulable threats of targeted
violence directed at:
new text end

new text begin (1) an educational facility; or
new text end

new text begin (2) a religious institution.
new text end

new text begin Articulable threats of targeted violence must be reported regardless of the background or
motivation of the user who generated the content.
new text end

new text begin (b) A social media platform may utilize user reporting and technological tools, including
algorithms and artificial intelligence to assist in reviewing user-generated content in order
to identify articulable threats of targeted violence, but must use humans to review the content
to identify articulable threats of targeted violence and use humans to assess the content to
determine if the content needs to be reported under this section.
new text end

new text begin (c) The social media platform must report an articulable threat of targeted violence based
on the requirements under this section and must follow the reporting requests of the MNFC
to facilitate the transmission of threat information, files, personal information, and other
data. The MNFC must accommodate the requests of a social media platform to accept
information as required by this section that conserves resources and reduces costs when
practicable.
new text end

new text begin (d) The MNFC must designate one or more persons to specialize in social media platform
threat assessments to coordinate reports for social media platforms and facilitate reporting
required under this section.
new text end

new text begin (e) Nothing in this section prevents a social media platform from any other reporting
normally done in the course of business or as required by law, including contacting local,
state, national law enforcement, school safety centers, or other facilities or individuals.
new text end

new text begin (f) A social media platform must report to the MNFC an articulable threat of targeted
violence within 24 hours of the discovery of the articulable threat of targeted violence,
unless there is an indication from the content that a person may act on an articulable threat
of targeted violence within 24 hours of the date the content was posted. The social media
platform must immediately report to the MNFC through any practicable means of
communication.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Threat assessment; factors. new text end

new text begin In determining whether to report to the MNFC
an articulable threat of targeted violence, a social media platform must consider factors
including but not limited to:
new text end

new text begin (1) violent ideation, including general and specific depictions, fantasies, or desires for
murder or violence;
new text end

new text begin (2) evidence of concerning levels of interest in violent topics, content, or groups who
support violence or past incidents of targeted violence;
new text end

new text begin (3) evidence of aggressive violent behavior, including user-generated content that depicts
domestic violence, animal cruelty, assault, harassment, or stalking;
new text end

new text begin (4) direct threats made using a social media platform communication feature;
new text end

new text begin (5) speech communicating desperation or despair that clearly indicates a potential for
harm to self or others or a warning to others of an impending harm to self or others;
new text end

new text begin (6) fixations or stalking, including a preoccupation for a person, place, belief, or cause
that indicates a threat to an individual, group of persons, or a specific location; and
new text end

new text begin (7) speech that indicates training or preparation for targeted violence, including the use
of weapons or other materials associated with targeted violence.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Enforcement. new text end

new text begin (a) If a social media platform violates this section, the attorney
general may bring an enforcement action under paragraph (b).
new text end

new text begin (b) The attorney general may bring an enforcement action against a social media platform
to enforce a provision of this section in accordance with section 8.31. If the state prevails
in an action to enforce this section, the state may, in addition to penalties provided by
paragraph (c) or other remedies provided by law, be allowed an amount determined by the
court to be the reasonable value of all or part of the state's litigation expenses incurred.
new text end

new text begin (c) Any social media platform that violates this section is subject to an injunction and
any other equitable relief, and is liable for a civil penalty of not more than $1,000,000 for
each violation.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Data practices. new text end

new text begin The MNFC, along with the agency that carries on a law
enforcement function that subsequently obtains information from a social media platform,
must treat the data as criminal investigative data under section 13.82, subdivision 7.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Free speech. new text end

new text begin Outside the investigation of an articulable threat of targeted
violence, including a true threat or an incitement to imminent lawless action, nothing in this
section allows law enforcement, or another agent of the government, to violate the protected
free speech rights of an individual otherwise guaranteed by the Minnesota Constitution or
the United States Constitution.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin Immunity from liability. new text end

new text begin This section does not create a unique cause of action
for an individual. A social media platform that uses currently available technology and
follows the requirements of this section is not liable to an individual or any persons for the
criminal actions of another based on the requirements or standards in this section.
new text end