Bill · S. 3292· Senate(119-S-3292)
Platform Accountability and Transparency Act
- Introduced
- 12/1/2025
- Last activity
- 12/1/2025 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- Sponsored by
- Christopher Coons
- Cosponsors
- - 0 - 2
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill sets up a structured process for independent researchers affiliated with United States universities or nonprofits to access data held by large internet platforms with over 50 million monthly users. The National Science Foundation and the Federal Trade Commission will run a program to review and approve research projects while establishing strict privacy and cybersecurity safeguards. Platforms are required to share approved data and publish transparent reports on their algorithms, advertising, and content moderation. Additionally, the legislation provides a legal safe harbor for individuals conducting public-interest research or journalism using automated data collection methods. Finally, the bill outlines enforcement mechanisms and penalties through the Federal Trade Commission Act for any violations by platforms or researchers.
Yes· 3 of 7
Does this put more rules on large technology companies?+7
Imposes robust new transparency, reporting, and data-sharing requirements on large internet platforms.
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?+6
Mandates extensive public reporting and repositories regarding online advertising, algorithms, and content moderation.
Does this give people more control over their personal data?+5
Establishes strict privacy and cybersecurity safeguards for handling platform data and excludes private messaging and biometric data.
The opposite
Would business owners be better off under this?-2
Imposes substantial compliance and administrative burdens on large internet platforms.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Enhanced Platform Transparency: Under Section 9, the Federal Trade Commission is required to issue regulations forcing large internet platforms to publicly disclose information about their algorithms, advertising practices, and content moderation statistics. This benefits the public by providing clear insights into how online content is amplified, restricted, or moderated.
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Safe Harbor for Public Research and Journalism: Under Section 8, journalists and researchers are granted a safe harbor from platform lawsuits when collecting publicly available information for projects that inform the general public about matters of public concern. This protects individuals from being sued by tech companies merely for investigating platform practices using automated tools or research accounts.
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Privacy Protection and Exclusions: Under Section 2, the definition of qualified data explicitly excludes private messages, biometric information, and precise geospatial information. This ensures that highly sensitive personal details are kept out of the hands of researchers to protect individual privacy.
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Right of Review for Researchers: Under Section 4(e), if a platform fails to provide the required data for an approved research project, the qualified researcher or their organization can take the platform to district court or petition the Federal Trade Commission to enforce compliance. This holds major tech companies accountable to the research community.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Burden on Platform Integrity and Security: Under Section 3(b)(5), platforms are forced to provide data unless they can prove it creates significant security vulnerabilities. Even with safeguards, forcing massive internet companies to share internal data could potentially introduce risks or burdens to the overall security of their systems.
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Potential for Over-Regulation and Compliance Costs: Under Section 9, platforms are subjected to extensive new reporting requirements regarding their algorithms, ad repositories, and metrics. These heavy regulatory mandates could impose substantial administrative and financial burdens on companies, which might indirectly impact everyday users through altered platform features or services.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+6Improves Freedom Of Speech+4Increases Federal Power+4
- Education And Technology
- Increases Big Tech Regulation+7Improves Data Privacy+5
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Students+5Good For Business Owners-2
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Consumer Protection+3
- 1/8/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 12/1/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
Bill CassidyRepublican · Louisiana
David McCormickRepublican · Pennsylvania