In this Act, the following definitions apply:
(1)
Algorithmic process— The term algorithmic process means a computational process, including one derived from machine learning or other artificial intelligence techniques, that processes personal information or other data for the purpose of determining the order or manner that a set of information is provided, recommended to, or withheld from a user of an online platform, including the provision of commercial content, the display of social media posts, or any other method of automated decision making, content selection, or content amplification.
(2)
Biometric information— The term biometric information—
(A)
means information regarding the physiological or biological characteristics of an individual that may be used, singly or in combination with each other or with other identifying data, to establish the identity of an individual; and
(B)
includes—
(ii)
imagery of the iris, retina, fingerprint, face, hand, palm, vein patterns, and voice recordings, from which an identifier template, such as a faceprint, a minutiae template, or a voiceprint, can be extracted;
(iii)
keystroke patterns or rhythms, gait patterns or rhythms, and sleep, health, or exercise data that contain identifying information; and
(iv)
any mathematical code, profile, or algorithmic model derived from information regarding the physiological or biological characteristics of an individual.
(3)
Commission— The term Commission means the Federal Trade Commission.
(4)
Content moderation— The term content moderation means—
(A)
the intentional deletion, labeling, or editing of user generated content or a process of purposefully decreasing access to such content through the human labor of any individual that is financially compensated by an online platform, an automated process, or some combination thereof, pursuant to the online platform's terms of service or stated community standards; and
(B)
such other practices as the Commission may identify under regulations promulgated under
section 553 of title 5, United States Code.
(5)
De-identified— The term de-identified, with respect to personal information, means information that has been altered, anonymized, or aggregated so that it cannot reasonably identify, relate to, describe, or be capable of being associated with or linked to, directly or indirectly, a particular individual or device.
(6)
Demographic information— The term demographic information means information regarding an individual's or class of individuals’ race, color, ethnicity, sex, religion, national origin, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, familial status, immigration status, educational attainment, income, source of income, occupation, employment status, biometric information, criminal record, credit rating, or any categorization used by the online platform derived from such information.
(7)
Group— The term group means a page or other subdivision of an online platform that functions as a forum for users to post or otherwise distribute content to, or communicate with, other users of such page or other subdivision.
(8)
Non-precise geolocation information— The term non-precise geolocation information means information regarding a country, State, county, city, or ZIP code.
(9)
Online platform— The term online platform means any public-facing website, online service, online application, or mobile application which is operated for commercial purposes and provides a community forum for user generated content, including a social network site, content aggregation service, or service for sharing videos, images, games, audio files, or other content.
(10)
Personal information—
(A)
In general— The term personal information means information that directly or indirectly identifies, or could be reasonably linked to, a particular individual or device.
(B)
Reasonably linked— For purposes of subparagraph (A), information could be reasonably linked to an individual or device if such information can be used on its own or in combination with other information held by, or readily accessible to, a person to identify an individual or device.
(11)
Place of public accommodation— The term place of public accommodation means—
(A)
any entity considered a place of public accommodation under section 201(b) of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (
42 U.S.C. 2000a(b)) or section 301 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (
42 U.S.C. 12181); or
(B)
any commercial entity that offers goods or services through the internet to the general public.
(12)
Small business—
(A)
In general— The term small business means a commercial entity that establishes, with respect to the 3 preceding calendar years (or since the inception of such entity if such period is less than 3 calendar years), that the entity—
(i)
maintains an average annual gross revenue of less than $25,000,000;
(ii)
on average, annually processes the personal information of less than 100,000 individuals, households, or devices used by individuals or households;
(iii)
on average, derives 50 percent or less of its annual revenue from transferring the personal information of individuals; and
(iv)
has less than 50 workers at any time during such period.
(B)
Common control or branding— For purposes of subparagraph (A), the amounts at issue shall include the activity of any person that controls, is controlled by, is under common control with, or shares common branding with such commercial entity.
(13)
User generated content— The term user generated content means any content, including text, images, videos, reviews, profiles, games, or audio content, that is made or created (including through a form, template, or other process provided by the online platform) and posted on an online platform by a user of the online platform.