Sec. 5. Enforcement
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A violation of this Act or a regulation promulgated under this Act by a social media platform shall be treated as a violation of a rule defining an unfair or deceptive act or practice prescribed under section 18(a)(1)(B) of the Federal Trade Commission Act ( 15 U.S.C. 57a(a)(1)(B) ). Except as provided in subparagraph (C), the Commission shall enforce this Act in the same manner, by the same means, and with the same jurisdiction, powers, and duties as though all applicable terms and provisions of the Federal Trade Commission Act ( 15 U.S.C. 41 et seq. ) were incorporated into and made a part of this Act.
Except as provided in subparagraph (C), any person who violates this Act shall be subject to the penalties and entitled to the privileges and immunities provided in the Federal Trade Commission Act ( 15 U.S.C. 41 et seq. ). Notwithstanding section 4 or 5(a)(2) of the Federal Trade Commission Act ( 15 U.S.C. 44 , 45(a)(2)) or any jurisdictional limitation of the Commission, the Commission shall also enforce this Act, in the same manner provided in subparagraphs
(A)and
(B)of this paragraph, with respect to— organizations not organized to carry on business for their own profit or that of their members; and common carriers subject to the Communications Act of 1934 ( 47 U.S.C. 151 et seq. ). Nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit the authority of the Commission under any other provision of law. The Commission, with the concurrence of the Secretary acting through the Surgeon General, shall promulgate in accordance with section 553 of title 5, United States Code, such rules as may be necessary to carry out this Act. Subject to paragraph (3), in any case in which the attorney general of a State has reason to believe that an interest of the residents of the State has been or is threatened or adversely affected by the engagement of a social media platform in a practice that violates this Act, the attorney general of the State may, as parens patriae, bring a civil action against the social media platform on behalf of the residents of the State in an appropriate district court of the United States to obtain appropriate relief, including civil penalties in the amount determined under paragraph (2). A social media platform that is found, in an action brought under paragraph (1), to have knowingly or repeatedly violated this Act shall, in addition to any other penalty otherwise applicable to a violation of this Act, be liable for a civil penalty equal to the amount calculated by multiplying— the greater of— the number of days during which the social media platform was not in compliance with this Act; or the number of end users for whom the covered label was not displayed as a result of the violation; by an amount not to exceed the maximum civil penalty for which a person, partnership, or corporation may be liable under section 5(m)(1)(A) of the Federal Trade Commission Act ( 15 U.S.C. 45(m)(1)(A) ) (including any adjustments for inflation). Except as provided in clause (iii), the attorney general of a State shall notify the Commission in writing that the attorney general intends to bring a civil action under paragraph
(1)before initiating the civil action. The notification required under clause
(i)with respect to a civil action shall include a copy of the complaint to be filed to initiate the civil action. If it is not feasible for the attorney general of a State to provide the notification required under clause
(i)before initiating a civil action under paragraph (1), the attorney general shall notify the Commission immediately upon instituting the civil action. The Commission may— intervene in any civil action brought by the attorney general of a State under paragraph (1); and upon intervening— be heard on all matters arising in the civil action; and file petitions for appeal of a decision in the civil action. Nothing in this subsection may be construed to prevent the attorney general of a State from exercising the powers conferred on the attorney general by the laws of the State to— conduct investigations; administer oaths or affirmations; or compel the attendance of witnesses or the production of documentary or other evidence. If the Commission institutes a civil action or an administrative action with respect to a violation of this Act, the attorney general of a State may not, during the pendency of such action, bring a civil action under paragraph
(1)against any defendant named in the complaint of the Commission based on the same set of facts giving rise to the alleged violation with respect to which the Commission instituted the action. Any action brought under paragraph
(1)may be brought in— the district court of the United States that meets applicable requirements relating to venue under section 1391 of title 28, United States Code; or another court of competent jurisdiction. In an action brought under paragraph (1), process may be served in any district in which the defendant— is an inhabitant; or may be found. In addition to a civil action brought by an attorney general under paragraph (1), any other consumer protection officer of a State who is authorized by the State to do so may bring a civil action under paragraph (1), subject to the same requirements and limitations that apply under this subsection to a civil action brought by an attorney general. Nothing in this subsection may be construed to prohibit an authorized official of a State from initiating or continuing any proceeding in a court of the State for a violation of any civil or criminal law of the State. There is extraterritorial jurisdiction over any violation of this Act if such violation involves an individual in the United States or if any act in furtherance of the violation was committed in the United States.
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