Social media platforms would face police reporting and warrant deadlines

Social media operators would keep a police hotline staffed around the clock to answer warrant questions and provide status updates. The definition covers platforms with at least one million monthly users, public or semipublic profiles, and shared content. It also includes interactive or virtual gaming services. Covered warrants concern Colorado users' account information controlled by a user or operator. Other laws, including privacy and reproductive health protections, would still apply. Courts could grant more time for a good reason if doing so would not cause an adverse result under federal law. Certain workplace, shopping, and health services would be excluded, with limits on exclusions for services linked to social media platforms. Violations could carry civil penalties of up to $250,000 each. Operators would acknowledge warrants within eight hours of receipt and fulfill covered warrants within 24 hours of receiving them from police.

Operators would report covered account actions and the posted content to the user's local police or county sheriff. The duty would cover Colorado users on covered platforms whose public posts violate platform rules about specific or imminent threats. The account restriction, suspension, or closure would have to follow human review. Actions taken solely over legally protected health care content would be excluded. Operators must not report if they believe in good faith that the content involves legally protected health care. Violations would count as unfair or deceptive business practices. The 24-hour reporting deadline would run from the platform's action against the account.

Platforms covered by Senate Bill 26-011 would face a 24-hour deadline for covered warrants and civil penalties of up to $250,000 per violation. This section concerns platforms covered by the separate warrant law in Senate Bill 26-011. This section would apply only if Senate Bill 26-011 became law. Services mainly providing health information or access to protected health care would be excluded unless linked to a social media platform that does not mainly provide those services. Other laws, including privacy and reproductive health protections, and the separate law's warrant requirements would still apply. This section would start on the later effective date of this proposal or Senate Bill 26-011. The governor vetoed this proposal, and no override is recorded.