Regulon — MN-SF-4674 · MN SF 4674 (Social Media Threat Reporting)

WHAT THIS BILL REGULATES · 1 REQUIREMENT TYPE

How Is This Bill Enforced

Enforcement Authority

Attorney general enforcement only, brought under Minn. Stat. § 8.31. No private right of action — the bill expressly states it does not create a unique cause of action for an individual. A social media platform that uses currently available technology and follows the requirements of the section receives immunity from liability for criminal actions of third parties.

Private Right of Action

No private right of action. Enforcement is exclusive to the designated authority.

Penalties

Civil penalty of not more than $1,000,000 per violation. Injunction and any other equitable relief. The state may also recover the reasonable value of litigation expenses incurred.

Verbatim statutory text on the left; plain-language analysis and a per-section checklist on the right. Numbered markers cross-link to the matching checklist row.

Statutory Text

Analysis & Obligations

Minn. Stat. § 325M.31

Definitions (amended)

(a) For purposes of sections 325M.30 to 325M.34 325M.36, the following terms have the meanings given.

(b)–(m) "Accessible user interface" means a way for a user to input data, make a choice, or take an action on a social media platform in two clicks or fewer. (c) "Account holder" means a natural person or legal person who holds an account or profile with a social media platform. (d) "Account interactions" means any action that a user can make within a social media platform that could have a negative impact on another account holder. Account interactions include but are not limited to: (1) sending messages or invitations to users; (2) reporting users; (3) commenting on, resharing, liking, voting, or otherwise reacting to users' user-generated content; and (4) posting user-generated content or disseminating user-generated content to users. Actions that have no impact on other users, including viewing user-generated content or public content, are not account interactions. (e) "Algorithmic ranking system" means a computational process, including one derived from algorithmic decision making, machine learning, statistical analysis, or other data processing or artificial intelligence techniques, used to determine the selection, order, relative prioritization, or relative prominence of content from a set of information that is provided to a user on a social media platform, including search results ranking, content recommendations, content display, or any other automated content selection method. (f) "Conspicuously" means the information is presented in a manner, given the information's size, color, contrast, location, and proximity to any related information, as to be readily noticed and understood by a reasonable user. (g) "Content" means any media, including but not limited to written posts, images, visual or audio recordings, notifications, and games, that a user views, reads, watches, listens to, or otherwise interacts or engages with on a social media platform. Content includes other account holders' accounts or profiles when recommended to a user by the social media platform. (h) "Engage" or "engagement" means a user's utilization of the social media platform. (i) "Expressed preferences" means a freely given, considered, specific, and unambiguous indication of a user's preferences regarding the user's engagement with a social media platform. Expressed preferences must not be based on the user's time spent engaging with content on the social media platform or on the use of features that do not indicate explicit preference, including comments made, posts reshared, or similar actions that may be taken on content the user perceives to be of low quality. Expressed preferences must not be obtained through a user interface designed or manipulated with the substantial effect of subverting or impairing a user's decision making. (j) "Social media platform" means an electronic medium, including a browser-based or application-based interactive computer service, Internet website, telephone network, or data network, that allows an account holder to create, share, and view user-generated content for a substantial purpose of social interaction, sharing user-generated content, or personal networking. Social media platform does not include: (1) an Internet search provider; (2) an Internet service provider; (3) an email service; (4) a streaming service, online video game, e-commerce, or other Internet website where the content is not user generated but where interactive functions enable chat, comments, reviews, or other interactive functionality that is incidental to, directly related to, or dependent upon providing the content; (5) a communication service, including text, audio, or video communication technology, provided by a business to the business's employees and clients for use in the course of business activities and not for public distribution, except that social media platform includes a communication service provided by a social media platform; (6) an advertising network with the sole function of delivering commercial content; (7) a telecommunications carrier, as defined in United States Code, title 47, section 153; (8) a broadband service, as defined in section 116J.39, subdivision 1; (9) single-purpose community groups for education or public safety; (10) teleconferencing or video-conferencing services that allow reception and transmission of audio and video signals for real-time communication, except that social media platform includes teleconferencing or video-conferencing services provided by a social media platform; (11) cloud computing services, which may include cloud storage and shared document collaboration; (12) providing or obtaining technical support for a platform, product, or service; or (13) a platform designed primarily and specifically for creative professional users, as distinct from the general public, to share their portfolio and creative content, engage in professional networking, acquire clients, and market the creative professional user's creative content and creative services through facilitated transactions. (k) "Time sensitive" means content that is welcomed under a user's expressed preferences and that has significantly reduced value to the user with the passing of time. (l) "User" means a natural person who is located in Minnesota and who holds an account or profile with a social media platform. (m) "User-generated content" means any content created by an account holder that is uploaded, posted, shared, or disseminated on the social media platform.

Section 1 amends the existing definitions section for Minnesota's social media statutes (§§ 325M.30–325M.34) to extend the scope of defined terms to cover the new § 325M.36 created by Section 2. The only substantive change is replacing the reference to "sections 325M.30 to 325M.34" with "sections 325M.30 to 325M.36," ensuring that all existing definitions — including social media platform, user, user-generated content, and algorithmic ranking system — apply to the new behavioral threat assessment and reporting requirements. No new definitions are created and no new obligations are imposed by this section.

Minn. Stat. § 325M.36

Social media behavioral threat assessment and reporting

Deployer

subd. 1 Subdivision 1. Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the meanings given. (b) "Educational facility" means a child care center, a school, or any postsecondary education institution located in this state. (c) "Religious institution" has the meaning given in section 327.30, subdivision 1, paragraph (f), when located in this state, as well as affiliated facilities including homes, schools, or buildings operated by a religious institution when located in this state. (d) "Targeted violence" means a deliberate act of violence directed at a specific person, group, or location, regardless of motivation, that violates criminal laws of the United States or the state of Minnesota.

subd. 2(a) 1 A social media platform must provide continuous review of user-generated content in order to identify and report to the Minnesota Fusion Center (MNFC) articulable threats of targeted violence directed at: (1) an educational facility; or (2) a religious institution. Articulable threats of targeted violence must be reported regardless of the background or motivation of the user who generated the content.

subd. 2(b) 2 A social media platform may utilize user reporting and technological tools, including algorithms and artificial intelligence to assist in reviewing user-generated content in order to identify articulable threats of targeted violence, but must use humans to review the content to identify articulable threats of targeted violence and use humans to assess the content to determine if the content needs to be reported under this section.

subd. 2(c) 3 The social media platform must report an articulable threat of targeted violence based on the requirements under this section and must follow the reporting requests of the MNFC to facilitate the transmission of threat information, files, personal information, and other data. The MNFC must accommodate the requests of a social media platform to accept information as required by this section that conserves resources and reduces costs when practicable.

subd. 2(e) Nothing in this section prevents a social media platform from any other reporting normally done in the course of business or as required by law, including contacting local, state, national law enforcement, school safety centers, or other facilities or individuals.

subd. 2(f) 4 A social media platform must report to the MNFC an articulable threat of targeted violence within 24 hours of the discovery of the articulable threat of targeted violence, unless there is an indication from the content that a person may act on an articulable threat of targeted violence within 24 hours of the date the content was posted. The social media platform must immediately report to the MNFC through any practicable means of communication.

subd. 3 5 Subdivision 3. Threat assessment; factors. In determining whether to report to the MNFC an articulable threat of targeted violence, a social media platform must consider factors including but not limited to: (1) violent ideation, including general and specific depictions, fantasies, or desires for murder or violence; (2) evidence of concerning levels of interest in violent topics, content, or groups who support violence or past incidents of targeted violence; (3) evidence of aggressive violent behavior, including user-generated content that depicts domestic violence, animal cruelty, assault, harassment, or stalking; (4) direct threats made using a social media platform communication feature; (5) speech communicating desperation or despair that clearly indicates a potential for harm to self or others or a warning to others of an impending harm to self or others; (6) fixations or stalking, including a preoccupation for a person, place, belief, or cause that indicates a threat to an individual, group of persons, or a specific location; and (7) speech that indicates training or preparation for targeted violence, including the use of weapons or other materials associated with targeted violence.

subd. 4 Subdivision 4. Enforcement. (a) If a social media platform violates this section, the attorney general may bring an enforcement action under paragraph (b). (b) The attorney general may bring an enforcement action against a social media platform to enforce a provision of this section in accordance with section 8.31. If the state prevails in an action to enforce this section, the state may, in addition to penalties provided by paragraph (c) or other remedies provided by law, be allowed an amount determined by the court to be the reasonable value of all or part of the state's litigation expenses incurred. (c) Any social media platform that violates this section is subject to an injunction and any other equitable relief, and is liable for a civil penalty of not more than $1,000,000 for each violation.

subd. 5 Subdivision 5. Data practices. The MNFC, along with the agency that carries on a law enforcement function that subsequently obtains information from a social media platform, must treat the data as criminal investigative data under section 13.82, subdivision 7.

subd. 6 Subdivision 6. Free speech. Outside the investigation of an articulable threat of targeted violence, including a true threat or an incitement to imminent lawless action, nothing in this section allows law enforcement, or another agent of the government, to violate the protected free speech rights of an individual otherwise guaranteed by the Minnesota Constitution or the United States Constitution.

subd. 7 Subdivision 7. Immunity from liability. This section does not create a unique cause of action for an individual. A social media platform that uses currently available technology and follows the requirements of this section is not liable to an individual or any persons for the criminal actions of another based on the requirements or standards in this section.

Section 325M.36 creates the bill's core operative requirements. Social media platforms must continuously review user-generated content to identify articulable threats of targeted violence directed at educational facilities or religious institutions in Minnesota, and report those threats to the Minnesota Fusion Center (MNFC). Platforms may use AI and algorithmic tools in the identification process, but human reviewers must confirm threat identification and make the reporting determination — establishing a mandatory human-in-the-loop requirement for AI-assisted content moderation in this context.

Reports must be made within 24 hours of discovering an articulable threat, with an immediate-reporting obligation triggered when the content indicates the threat may be acted upon within 24 hours of posting. The bill enumerates seven factors platforms must consider in assessing whether content rises to the level of a reportable threat, including violent ideation, fixation, direct threats, and evidence of preparation for targeted violence.

Enforcement is exclusively through the attorney general under Minn. Stat. § 8.31, with civil penalties up to $1,000,000 per violation. The bill expressly disclaims any private right of action and provides a compliance-based safe harbor from liability for the criminal actions of third parties. A free-speech savings clause limits government use of reported data outside the context of true threats and incitement.

Compliance actions 5 items

Social media platforms must continuously review user-generated content to identify articulable threats of targeted violence directed at educational facilities or religious institutions in Minnesota.

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Social media platforms may use AI and algorithms to assist in reviewing content for threats, but must use human reviewers to identify articulable threats of targeted violence and to determine whether content must be reported.

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Social media platforms must report articulable threats of targeted violence to the Minnesota Fusion Center and must follow MNFC reporting requests to facilitate transmission of threat information, files, personal information, and other data.

R-01.1

Social media platforms must report articulable threats of targeted violence to the MNFC within 24 hours of discovery; if the content indicates a person may act on the threat within 24 hours of posting, the platform must report immediately through any practicable means.

R-01.1

Social media platforms must consider specified threat-assessment factors when determining whether to report an articulable threat of targeted violence, including violent ideation, interest in violent content or groups, aggressive behavior, direct threats, expressions of desperation, fixation or stalking behavior, and evidence of preparation for targeted violence.

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Regulatory Reporting · disclosure · audit

2 items

R-01.1

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Other

3 items

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Social media platforms must continuously review user-generated content to identify articulable threats of targeted violence directed at educational facilities or religious institutions in Minnesota.

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Passage Likelihood

Medium

Status Introduced

Chamber No passage

Committee No action

Majority party No

Bipartisan Yes

Prior session None

Legislative History

2026-03-23 Introduction and first reading

2026-03-23 Referred to Commerce and Consumer Protection

Sources

Full Text ↗

Entry Last Reviewed

2026-05-20

AI generated