42 U.S.C. § 1862w: NSF support of research on…

Summary

Requires the National Science Foundation (NSF) director, working with the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to fund peer-reviewed, competitive research on how online social media platforms affect the growth or operation of human trafficking. Research can include work on tools to verify who and what is real on platforms, privacy-safe tools that help law enforcement, social and behavioral studies of users who interact with traffickers, studies of public awareness and law enforcement efforts, and projects done with other Federal programs and agencies. The NSF must try to include the experiences and safety and privacy needs of trafficking survivors when possible. Human trafficking: the act defined in 22 U.S.C. 7102(11). Social media platform: an online site that lets people make accounts or profiles, create and share content, and mainly interact with other users’ content. The NSF must report findings and recommendations to four congressional bodies not later than 1 year after January 5, 2023, and must report research results to those same bodies not later than 4 years after January 5, 2023.

Title 42, §1862w

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Definitions

In this section: (1) Human trafficking

(2)Social media platform

The term “social media platform” means a website or internet medium that—

(A)permits a person to become a registered user, establish an account, or create a profile for the purpose of allowing users to create, share, and view user-generated content through such an account or profile;

(B)enables 1 or more users to generate content that can be viewed by other users of the medium; and

(C)primarily serves as a medium for users to interact with content generated by other users of the medium.

(b)Support of research

The Director of the National Science Foundation, in consultation with the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall support merit-reviewed and competitively awarded research on the impact of online social media platforms on the maintenance or expansion of human trafficking, which may include—

(1)fundamental research on digital forensic tools or other technologies for verifying the authenticity of social media platform users and their materials, that are utilized in the promotion or operation of human trafficking networks;

(2)fundamental research on privacy preserving technical tools that may aid law enforcement’s ability to identify and prosecute individuals or entities promoting or involved in human trafficking;

(3)social and behavioral research related to social media platform users who engage with those promoting or involved in human trafficking;

(4)research on the effectiveness of expanding public understanding, awareness, or law enforcement efforts in combating human trafficking through social media platforms; and

(5)research awards coordinated with other Federal agencies and programs, including the Information Integrity Research and Development Interagency Working Group and the Privacy Research and Development Interagency Working Group of the Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Program, the Office for Victims of Crime of the Department of Justice, the Blue Campaign of the Department of Homeland Security, the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons of the Department of State, and activities of the Department of Transportation and the Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking.

(c)Survivors

To the extent possible, the Director of the National Science Foundation shall ensure that research supported under subsection (b) incorporates the experiences, input, and safety and privacy concerns of human trafficking survivors.

(d)Reports

(1)Findings and recommendations

Not later than 1 year after January 5, 2023, the Director of the National Science Foundation shall report to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives, and the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives—

(A)the Director’s findings with respect to the feasibility for research opportunities, including with the private sector social media platform companies, to improve the ability to combat human trafficking operations; and

(B)any recommendations of the Director that could facilitate and improve communication and coordination among the private sector, the National Science Foundation, and relevant Federal agencies to improve the ability to combat human trafficking operations through social media.

(2)Results of research

Not later than 4 years after January 5, 2023, the Director of the National Science Foundation shall report to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives, and the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives on the results of the research supported under this section.

Editorial Notes

Codification Section was enacted as part of the Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2022, and not as part of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 which comprises this chapter.

§1862w Nsf Support of Research on Impacts of Social Media on Human Trafficking

Summary

Title 42, §1862w

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Citations & Metadata