CONGRESS FOR VOTERS

Daniel Meuser (R-PA)

SCAM Act

H.R. 7548 · House bill Commerce

A Republican bill with 29 Democratic cosponsors · See all 59 cosponsors

Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

In committee

Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.

The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.

Its path through Congress

  1. Introduced
  2. In Committee

What this bill would do

This bill, known as the Safeguarding Consumers from Advertising Misconduct Act or the SCAM Act, makes it unlawful for online platforms to display fraudulent or deceptive commercial advertisements if they accepted payment for the ads and failed to take reasonable steps to prevent them. It requires online platforms that accept paid ads to verify the identity of advertisers, implement active impersonation detection programs, and use automated and manual detection systems. Platforms must also provide users with a clear reporting tool and investigate reported ads within 72 hours. If a platform finds an ad violates the law, it must remove it within 24 hours. The bill allows the Federal Trade Commission, State attorneys general, and injured individuals to bring civil actions against violators. Additionally, Section 230(c)(1) of the Communications Act of 1934 will not apply to any violations of this section.

Yes· 3 of 9

  • Scored +9

    Would people over 65 be better off under this?

    The bill protects older adults who are noted in the findings to suffer significant financial losses from digital scams.

  • Scored +9

    Would retired people be better off under this?

    The bill mitigates the specific financial risks identified as being highly prevalent among older populations.

  • Scored +8

    Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?

    The bill mandates strict advertiser identity verification and active detection systems to prevent fraudulent digital advertisements.

The opposite

No question was scored the opposite.