1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to public safety; prohibiting certain sex offenders from accessing social
1.3 media platforms;amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 243.055, by adding
1.4 a subdivision.
1.5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 243.055, is amended by adding a subdivision
1.7 to read:
1.8 Subd. 1a.Restrictions on social media platforms. (a) The commissioner must impose
1.9 the following conditions on a parolee, state-supervised probationer, or individual on
1.10 supervised release for a violation of section 609.342, 609.343, 609.344, 609.345, or 609.3458,
1.11 where the individual committed the offense against a victim under the age of 18:
1.12 (1) prohibit the individual from using social media platforms that allow persons under
1.13 the age of 18 to be members or interact with other users; and
1.14 (2) require the individual to provide all their social media account details, including
1.15 usernames and passwords, to their parole or probation agent.
1.16 (b) The commissioner must annually prepare a list of social media platforms that satisfy
1.17 the criteria for a social media platform as defined in paragraph (c). The commissioner must
1.18 publish the list on the agency's public-facing website and distribute the list to all parole and
1.19 probation agents in the state.
1.20 (c) For purposes of this paragraph, the following terms have the meanings given:
1.21 (1) "social media platform" means an electronic medium, including a browser-based or
1.22 application-based interactive computer service, telephone network, or data network, that
2.1 allows users to create, share, and view user-generated content. Social media platform does
2.2 not include Internet search providers, email, or short-message-service; or streaming video
2.3 service or other Internet website where the content is not user-generated but where interactive
2.4 functions enable incidental chat, comments, or reviews. Social media platform does not
2.5 include a communication service, including audio and video communication technology,
2.6 provided by a business to the business's employees and clients for use in the course of
2.7 business activities and not for public distribution; and
2.8 (2) "user-generated content" means any content created or shared by an account holder,
2.9 including but not limited to written posts, photographs, graphics, video recordings, or audio
2.10 recordings.
