DHS Social Media Improvement Act of 2015 2015-11-05 Public Law (This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the Senate on September 21, 2015. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

DHS Social Media Improvement Act of 2015

(Sec. 2) Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) a social media working group (the Group) to 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 or an act of terrorism or other man-made disaster.

Requires the Group to submit an annual report 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.

Terminates the Group five years after the enactment of this Act unless the chairperson renews it for a successive five-year period by submitting a certification that the continued existence of the Group is necessary. Provides for successive five-year renewal periods.

]]> 2015-10-07 Passed Senate amended (This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the Senate on September 21, 2015. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

DHS Social Media Improvement Act of 2015

(Sec. 2) Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) a social media working group (the Group) to 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 or an act of terrorism or other man-made disaster.

Requires the Group to submit an annual report 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.

Terminates the Group five years after the enactment of this Act unless the chairperson renews it for a successive five-year period by submitting a certification that the continued existence of the Group is necessary. Provides for successive five-year renewal periods.

]]> 2015-09-21 Reported to Senate amended DHS Social Media Improvement Act of 2015

(Sec. 2) Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) a social media working group (the Group) to 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 or an act of terrorism or other man-made disaster.

Requires the Group to submit an annual report 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.

Terminates the Group five years after the enactment of this Act unless the chairperson renews it for a successive five-year period by submitting a certification that the continued existence of the Group is necessary. Provides for successive five-year renewal periods.

]]> 2015-02-02 Passed House without amendment (This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

Social Media Working Group Act of 2015

(Sec. 2) Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) a social media working group (the Group) to provide guidance and best practices to the emergency preparedness and response community on the use of social media technologies before, during, and after a terrorist attack or other emergency.

Requires the Group to submit an annual report that includes: (1) a review of current and emerging social media technologies being used to support preparedness and response activities related to terrorist attacks and other emergencies; (2) a review of best practices and lessons learned on the use of social media during the response to terrorist attacks and other emergencies that occurred during the period covered by the report; (3) recommendations to improve DHS's use of social media for emergency management purposes, to improve public awareness of the type of information disseminated through social media and how to access such information during a terrorist attack or other emergency, and to improve information sharing among DHS and its components and among state and local governments; (4) a review of available training for government officials on the use of social media in response to a terrorist attack or other emergency; and (5) a summary of coordination efforts with the private sector to discuss and resolve legal, operational, technical, privacy, and security concerns.

]]> 2015-01-30 Introduced in House Social Media Working Group Act of 2015

Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) a social media working group (the Group) to provide guidance and best practices to the emergency preparedness and response community on the use of social media technologies before, during, and after a terrorist attack or other emergency.

Requires the Group to submit an annual report that includes: (1) a review of current and emerging social media technologies being used to support preparedness and response activities related to terrorist attacks and other emergencies; (2) a review of best practices and lessons learned on the use of social media during the response to terrorist attacks and other emergencies that occurred during the period covered by the report; (3) recommendations to improve DHS's use of social media for emergency management purposes, to improve public awareness of the type of information disseminated through social media and how to access such information during a terrorist attack or other emergency, and to improve information sharing among DHS and its components and among state and local governments; (4) a review of available training for government officials on the use of social media in response to a terrorist attack or other emergency; and (5) a summary of coordination efforts with the private sector to discuss and resolve legal, operational, technical, privacy, and security concerns.

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