Federal

Internet Application I.D. Act

Source: Congress.gov · 956 words in original text

What This Bill Does

This bill requires anyone who owns, provides, or controls a website or mobile app that is owned by the Chinese Communist Party or by a private company in China to tell American users about that ownership. The bill makes it illegal to give false information about this ownership.

Who It Affects

People who own, provide, or control websites or mobile apps that are owned by the Chinese Communist Party or non-state-owned companies in China. American individuals who download or use these websites or apps. The Federal Trade Commission (the government agency that protects consumers).

Key Provisions

• Anyone that owns, provides, or controls a website or mobile app that is owned wholly or partially by the Chinese Communist Party or a non-state-owned company in China must clearly and noticeably tell any American user who downloads or uses it about that Chinese ownership (Sec. 2(a)). • It is illegal for anyone to knowingly give false information about Chinese ownership under this law (Sec. 2(b)). • The Federal Trade Commission will enforce this bill the same way it enforces other consumer protection laws (Sec. 3(b)). • Anyone who breaks this law can face the same penalties as those who break Federal Trade Commission laws (Sec. 3(b)(2)).

What Changes

Website and app owners with Chinese Communist Party or Chinese company ownership must add clear ownership disclosures to their platforms that American users will see when they download or use them.

Important Definitions

Individual: A real person living in the United States (Sec. 4).

Effective Date

This law takes effect 180 days after it becomes law (Sec. 5).

IB Union Calendar No. 445 118TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 784 [Report No. 118–536] To require any person that maintains an internet website or that sells or distributes a mobile application that is owned, wholly or partially, by the Chinese Communist Party or by a non-state-owned entity located in the People’s Republic of China, to disclose that fact to any individual who downloads or otherwise uses such website or application. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FEBRUARY 2, 2023 Mr. FULCHER (for himself and Mr. PAPPAS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce JUNE 4, 2024 Additional sponsors: Mr. ALLEN and Mr. BALDERSON JUNE 4, 2024 Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:24 Jun 05, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6652 E:\BILLS\H784.RH H784 ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 784 RH A BILL To require any person that maintains an internet website or that sells or distributes a mobile application that is owned, wholly or partially, by the Chinese Communist Party or by a non-state-owned entity located in the Peo- ple’s Republic of China, to disclose that fact to any individual who downloads or otherwise uses such website or application. VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:24 Jun 05, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6652 E:\BILLS\H784.RH H784 ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 784 RH Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Internet Application 4 Integrity and Disclosure Act’’ or the ‘‘Internet Application 5 I.D. Act’’. 6 SEC. 2. CHINESE OWNERSHIP DISCLOSURE REQUIRE- 7 MENTS. 8 (a) DISCLOSURE.—Any person that owns, provides, or 9 controls an internet website or that sells or distributes a 10 mobile application that is owned, wholly or partially, by 11 the Chinese Communist Party or by a non-state-owned enti- 12 ty domiciled in the People’s Republic of China shall clearly 13 and conspicuously disclose to any individual who 14 downloads or otherwise uses such website or application in 15 the United States that such website or application is owned, 16 wholly or partially, by the Chinese Communist Party or 17 by a non-state-owned entity domiciled in the People’s Re- 18 public of China. 19 (b) FALSE INFORMATION.—It shall be unlawful for 20 any person to knowingly disclose false information under 21 this section. 22 SEC. 3. ENFORCEMENT BY FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION. 23 (a) UNFAIR OR DECEPTIVE ACTS OR PRACTICES.—A 24 violation of this Act shall be treated as a violation of a 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:24 Jun 05, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H784.RH H784 ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 784 RH rule defining an unfair or deceptive act or practice pre- 1 scribed under section 18(a)(1)(B) of the Federal Trade 2 Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 57a(a)(1)(B)). 3 (b) POWERS OF COMMISSION.— 4 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Federal Trade Commis- 5 sion shall enforce this Act in the same manner, by the 6 same means, and with the same jurisdiction, powers, 7 and duties as though all applicable terms and provi- 8 sions of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 9 U.S.C. 41 et seq.) were incorporated into and made 10 a part of this Act. 11 (2) PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES.—Any person 12 who violates this Act shall be subject to the penalties, 13 and entitled to the privileges and immunities, pro- 14 vided in the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.). 16 (3) AUTHORITY PRESERVED.—Nothing in this 17 Act may be construed to limit the authority of the 18 Federal Trade Commission under any other provision 19 of law. 20 SEC. 4. INDIVIDUAL DEFINED. 21 In this Act, the term ‘‘individual’’ means a natural 22 person residing in the United States. 23 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:24 Jun 05, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H784.RH H784 ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 784 RH SEC. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. 1 This Act shall take effect on the date that is 180 days 2 after the date of the enactment of this Act. 3 Amend the title so as to read: ‘‘A bill to require any person that owns, provides, or controls an internet website or that sells or distributes a mobile application that is owned, wholly or partially, by the Chinese Com- munist Party or by a non-state-owned entity domiciled in the People’s Republic of China to disclose that fact to any individual who downloads or otherwise uses such website or application in the United States.’’. VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:24 Jun 05, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H784.RH H784 ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS Union Calendar No. 445 118TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 784 [Report No. 118–536] A BILL To require any person that maintains an internet website or that sells or distributes a mobile appli- cation that is owned, wholly or partially, by the Chinese Communist Party or by a non-state- owned entity located in the People’s Republic of China, to disclose that fact to any individual who downloads or otherwise uses such website or ap- plication. JUNE 4, 2024 Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and or- dered to be printed VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:24 Jun 05, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6651 Sfmt 6651 E:\BILLS\H784.RH H784 ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS

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