---
kind: "section"
citation: "6 U.S.C. § 195d"
title: "6"
title_heading: "Domestic Security"
number: "195d"
heading: "Social media working group"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/6/195d"
units:
  - "Chapter 1 — Homeland Security Organization"
  - "Subchapter III — Science and Technology in Support of Homeland Security"
---

# §195d. Social media working group

- (a) **Establishment—** The [Secretary](/usc/6/101.md?p=16) shall establish within the [Department](/usc/6/101.md?p=5) a social media working group (in this section referred to as the “Group”).
- (b) **Purpose—** In order to enhance the dissemination of information through social media technologies between the [Department](/usc/6/101.md?p=5) and appropriate stakeholders and to improve use of social media technologies in support of preparedness, response, and recovery, the Group shall identify, and provide guidance and best practices to the [emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) preparedness and response community on, the use of social media technologies before, during, and after a natural disaster or an [act of terrorism](/usc/6/444.md?p=2-A) or other man-made disaster.
- (c) **Membership—**
  - (1) **In general—** Membership of the Group shall be composed of a cross section of subject matter experts from Federal, [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17), local, tribal, territorial, and nongovernmental organization practitioners, including representatives from the following [entities](/usc/6/301c.md?p=2):
    - (A) The Office of Public Affairs of the [Department](/usc/6/101.md?p=5).
    - (B) The Office of the Chief Information Officer of the [Department](/usc/6/101.md?p=5).
    - (C) The Privacy Office of the [Department](/usc/6/101.md?p=5).
    - (D) The Federal [Emergency Management](/usc/6/701.md?p=7) [Agency](/usc/6/671.md?p=1).
    - (E) The Office of Disability Integration and Coordination of the Federal [Emergency Management](/usc/6/701.md?p=7) [Agency](/usc/6/671.md?p=1).
    - (F) The American Red Cross.
    - (G) The Forest Service.
    - (H) The [Centers](/usc/6/681.md?p=1) for Disease Control and Prevention.
    - (I) The [United States](/usc/6/101.md?p=19-A) Geological Survey.
    - (J) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
  - (2) **Chairperson; co-chairperson—**
    - (A) **Chairperson—** The [Secretary](/usc/6/101.md?p=16), or a designee of the [Secretary](/usc/6/101.md?p=16), shall serve as the chairperson of the Group.
    - (B) **Co-chairperson—** The chairperson shall designate, on a rotating basis, a representative from a [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) or [local government](/usc/6/101.md?p=13) who is a member of the Group to serve as the co-chairperson of the Group.
  - (3) **Additional members—** The chairperson shall appoint, on a rotating basis, qualified individuals to the Group. The total number of such additional members shall—
    - (A) be equal to or greater than the total number of regular members under [paragraph (1)](#c-1); and
    - (B) include—
      - (i) not fewer than 3 representatives from the private sector; and
      - (ii) representatives from—
        - (I) [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17), local, tribal, and territorial [entities](/usc/6/301c.md?p=2), including from—
          - (aa) law enforcement;
          - (bb) fire services;
          - (cc) [emergency management](/usc/6/701.md?p=7); and
          - (dd) public health [entities](/usc/6/301c.md?p=2);
        - (II) universities and academia; and
        - (III) nonprofit disaster relief organizations.
  - (4) **Term limits—** The chairperson shall establish term limits for individuals appointed to the Group under [paragraph (3)](#c-3).
- (d) **Consultation with non-members—** To the extent practicable, the Group shall work with [entities](/usc/6/301c.md?p=2) in the public and private sectors to carry out [subsection (b)](#b).
- (e) **Meetings—**
  - (1) **Initial meeting—** Not later than 90 days after November 5, 2015, the Group shall hold its initial meeting.
  - (2) **Subsequent meetings—** After the initial meeting under [paragraph (1)](#e-1), the Group shall meet—
    - (A) at the call of the chairperson; and
    - (B) not less frequently than twice each year.
  - (3) **Virtual meetings—** Each meeting of the Group may be held virtually.
- (f) **Reports—** During each year in which the Group meets, the Group shall submit to the [appropriate congressional committees](/usc/6/101.md?p=2) a report that includes the following:
  - (1) A review and analysis of current and emerging social media technologies being used to support preparedness and response activities related to natural disasters and acts of [terrorism](/usc/6/101.md?p=18) and other man-made disasters.
  - (2) A review of best practices and lessons learned on the use of social media technologies during the response to natural disasters and acts of [terrorism](/usc/6/101.md?p=18) and other man-made disasters that occurred during the period covered by the report at issue.
  - (3) Recommendations to improve the [Department](/usc/6/101.md?p=5)’s use of social media technologies for [emergency management](/usc/6/701.md?p=7) purposes.
  - (4) Recommendations to improve public awareness of the type of information disseminated through social media technologies, and how to access such information, during a natural disaster or an [act of terrorism](/usc/6/444.md?p=2-A) or other man-made disaster.
  - (5) A review of available training for Federal, [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17), local, tribal, and territorial officials on the use of social media technologies in response to a natural disaster or an [act of terrorism](/usc/6/444.md?p=2-A) or other man-made disaster.
  - (6) A review of coordination efforts with the private sector to discuss and resolve legal, operational, technical, privacy, and security concerns.
- (g) **Duration of group—**
  - (1) **In general—** The Group shall terminate on the date that is 5 years after November 5, 2015, unless the chairperson renews the Group for a successive 5-year period, prior to the date on which the Group would otherwise terminate, by submitting to the Committee on [Homeland](/usc/6/101.md?p=1) Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on [Homeland](/usc/6/101.md?p=1) Security of the House of Representatives a certification that the continued existence of the Group is necessary to fulfill the purpose described in [subsection (b)](#b).
  - (2) **Continued renewal—** The chairperson may continue to renew the Group for successive 5-year periods by submitting a certification in accordance with [paragraph (1)](#g-1) prior to the date on which the Group would otherwise terminate.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 107–296, title III, § 318, as added Pub. L. 114–80, § 2(a), Nov. 5, 2015, 129 Stat. 646.)