Requires social media platforms to remove content depicting the violent death of a human being within twenty-fours after receiving notice or otherwise becoming aware of such content; requires social media platforms to provide an easily accessible and usable mechanism for users to report such content.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9165
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
October 17, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. MAHER -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Science and Technology
AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to requiring
social media platforms to remove content depicting the violent death
of a human being
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The general business law is amended by adding a new section
2 394-cccc to read as follows:
3 § 394-cccc. Social media platforms; removal of content depicting
4 violent death. 1. As used in this section, the following terms shall
5 have the following meanings:
6 (a) "Social media platform" shall mean an internet website or applica-
7 tion that:
8 (i) enables users to create and share content or to engage in social
9 networking; and
10 (ii) has more than one million monthly active users in the United
11 States.
12 (b) "Violent death" shall mean any video, image, livestream, or other
13 depiction showing the killing of a human being, whether intentional or
14 unintentional, through violent means.
15 (c) "Remove" shall mean to make such content inaccessible to the
16 public and other users of the platform.
17 2. A social media platform that conducts business in this state shall
18 remove or disable access to any post, video, image, livestream, or other
19 content that depicts the violent death of a human being within twenty-
20 four hours after such platform receives notice or otherwise becomes
21 aware of such content.
22 3. (a) Social media platforms shall establish and maintain an easily
23 accessible and easily usable reporting mechanism for users to report
24 content that may depict a violent death to the social media platform.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13770-01-5
A. 9165 2
1 (b) Social media platforms shall provide confirmation to the reporting
2 user that the report has been received and reviewed.
3 4. This section shall not apply to:
4 (a) content disseminated by law enforcement agencies for official
5 purposes;
6 (b) content that has been determined by the social media platform to
7 have substantial value for journalistic, educational, or public interest
8 purposes, provided that reasonable steps are taken to obscure graphic
9 depictions;
10 (c) content where the individual shown, or their next of kin, has
11 expressly consented to its posting; or
12 (d) fictional, computer-generated, or otherwise artistic depictions of
13 violent death, including but not limited to video games, films, tele-
14 vision programs, and other entertainment media.
15 5. The attorney general may bring an action to enjoin violations of
16 this section and to recover a civil penalty of up to one hundred thou-
17 sand dollars for each day a platform knowingly fails to remove prohibit-
18 ed content.
19 6. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit other remedies
20 available under law.
21 § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
22 it shall have become a law.
