ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Fifty-fourth Legislature Second Regular Session HB 2124: online content; publishers; liability Sponsor: Representative Thorpe, LD 6 Committee on Technology Overview Defines online publisher and assigns liability for damages suffered by an online user. History A person, with the intent to commit fraud or theft, may not use a web page electronic mail message to solicit or induce another person to provide identifying information by representing that the person is an online business without the authority or approval of the online business (A.R.S. § 18542). A person found guilty of violating laws relating to internet representations is subjected to a class 5 felony (A.R.S. § 18-544). Internet is defined as collectively the myriad of computer and telecommunications facilities, including equipment and operating software, that comprise the interconnected worldwide network of networks that employ the transmission control protocol or internet protocol, or any predecessor or successor protocols to such protocol, to communicate information of all kinds by wire or radio (A.R.S. § 18-541). Provisions 1. Specifies a person who allows online users to upload publicly accessible content on the internet and who edits, deletes or makes it difficult for online users to locate and access the uploaded content in an easy or timely manner for politically biased reasons is: a) Deemed to be a publisher; b) Deemed to not be a platform; and c) Liable for damages suffered by an online user because of the person's actions, including damage for violations of rights guaranteed to the online user by the Federal or State Constitutions. (Sec. 1) 2. Allows the Attorney General or the online user who claims to have suffered the damages to bring an action to recover the damages. (Sec. 1) 3. Defines platform as a person that enables the content to distribution of information on the internet. (Sec. 1) 4. Defines publisher as a person that curates and distributes content on the internet. (Sec. 1) ☐ Prop 105 (45 votes) Initials PRB/MCL ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes) ☐ Emergency (40 votes) ☐ Fiscal Note Technology