releases: http://susanwbrooks.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/brooks-social-media-bill-clears-final-legislative-hurdle-before-being
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| http://susanwbrooks.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/brooks-social-media-bill-clears-final-legislative-hurdle-before-being | Brooks Social Media Bill Clears Final Legislative Hurdle Before Being Signed into Law | 2015-10-29 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Republican | House | IN | Susan Brooks | B001284 | susanwbrooks.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, H.R. 623, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Social Media Improvement Act of 2015, led by Congresswoman Susan W. Brooks (R-IN05) passed the House of Representatives. This legislation codifies in law a public-private working group to provide guidance and best practices on the use of social media technologies, specifically during a terrorist attack or other emergency. Next, it will be sent to President Obama to be signed into law. Social media has revolutionized the way we communicate with those around us, including how we learn about, respond to and assess terrorist attacks, natural disasters, and other emergencies, Brooks said. This DHS group is an important step towards improving communications and information sharing between the public and private sector, especially during times of emergency and crisis. We need to get the whole first responder and social media community involved if we are to learn how to most effectively and efficiently communicate critical information to the public. This legislation directs the DHS to establish a social media working group comprised of no more than 20 representatives of federal, state and local government, and the private sector. The group will identify and provide guidance and best practices to the emergency preparedness and response community on the use of social media technologies before, during, and after a natural disaster, an act of terrorism, or other man-made disaster. More and more often, citizens are turning to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for public safety information, to comfort survivors, and request public safety assistance, Brooks continued. We are seeing people use social media platforms as an alternative when telephones are not available. For instance, last year a 10 year-old girl in West Virginia saved her fathers life by calling for help on Facebook following a severe storm when cell reception and traditional telephone lines were unavailable. In todays day and age where new social media platforms and technologies can change the game almost instantly, we must ensure our first responders are nimble enough to adapt to an ever-changing landscape. This best practices DHS group is one way to help facilitate this. Specifically, the DHS Social Media Working group will be required to submit an annual report to Congress that includes: a review and analysis of social media technologies used to support preparedness and response activities; a review of best practices and lessons learned; recommendations to improve DHS's use of social media technologies for emergency management purposes, recommendations to improve public awareness of the type of information disseminated through such technologies, and recommendations on how to access such information during a disaster; a review of available training for government officials on the use of social media technologies in response to a disaster; and a review of coordination efforts with the private sector to discuss and resolve legal, operational, technical, privacy, and security concerns. The DHS group is required to meet, in person or virtually, at least twice each year, and will not be a financial burden on the Department. The DHS group will be up for renewal every five years, subject to the determination of the chairperson of the Social Media Working group. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |