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3/3/2026
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Rep. Potter introduces legislation to make digital platforms more transparent about the content they display
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STATE HOUSE — Rep. Brandon Potter has introduced legislation to make social media companies and other large digital platforms operating in Rhode Island more transparent with their users about the content they are shown, including content manipulated or generated by artificial intelligence tools.
“A democratic society depends on the public’s ability to make informed decisions,” said Representative Potter (D-Dist. 16, Cranston). “Today, social media platforms function as our public square, yet manipulated content and hidden algorithms quietly shape what information reaches voters. When the flow of ideas is distorted by opaque systems optimized for profit, the free and fair exchange of real ideas that democracy depends on is put at risk. This bill adds much-needed transparency at the intersection of social media, artificial intelligence and algorithmic amplification as a first step toward a healthier and more trustworthy internet.”
The Digital Transparency and Democratic Integrity Act (2026-H 7954) would apply to online services, websites or applications that have more than 1 million active users nationally and allow users to create profiles and generate or share content that is visible to others.
These platforms would have to publicly disclose the primary factors used to determine how content is recommended, amplified or suppressed; if engagement metrics affect content visibility; whether paid promotion or other financial incentives influence content visibility; and whether behavioral profiling influences content personalization.
The platform would also have to clearly disclose whether content is displayed chronologically or through a form of algorithmic ranking.
“Every day, Rhode Islanders open their phones and scroll through feeds that appear neutral, but what we see is shaped by algorithms designed to maximize engagement and profit. These systems decide which voices are amplified, which stories are promoted, and which perspectives are suppressed, with little to no explanation to users. People have a right to know exactly why they are seeing the content in front of them,” said Representative Potter.
The bill would also tackle the use of “synthetic media,” which it defines as images, audio or video recordings that has been materially generated or altered using AI tools or other automated technologies in a manner that would cause a reasonable person to believe the content depicts a real individual, statement or event that did not occur.
“Across the internet, manipulated and entirely fake images, audio and video are becoming more convincing and more widespread by the day,” said Representative Potter. “Users of digital platforms cannot reasonably be expected to identify the real from the fake on their own. It is time for the platforms that host and profit from this content to help users understand when media has been generated or materially altered using artificial intelligence.”
Under Representative Potter’s bill, platforms would have to implement reasonable policies to detect synthetic media and to clearly display that such content has been generated or altered using AI when showing this content to users.
The bill would also make it a violation of deceptive trade practice law enforced by the Rhode Island Attorney General’s office for a platform to violate these disclosure requirements, make false claims about the neutral or “organic” nature of the platform’s feed or algorithm or to knowingly allow coordinated inauthentic behavior by foreign entities to mislead users of the platform.
“Importantly, this legislation does not regulate viewpoints or restrict speech,” said Representative Potter. “It requires factual disclosures about how content is ranked and amplified, and it prevents deceptive practices that mislead users about how their feeds operate. It has been carefully crafted to withstand constitutional scrutiny while protecting the integrity of our democratic process. Rhode Islanders deserve a digital public square where real ideas compete on a level playing field, not one distorted by hidden incentives, billionaire revenue models or bad actors seeking to manipulate public debate.”
Rhode Island residents materially harmed by violations of the statute could also bring civil suits against the offending platforms.
Civil penalties would not exceed $10,000 per knowing violation. Each day a knowing violation continued would count as a separate violation.
For more information, contact:
Tristan Grau, Publicist
State House Room B20
Providence, RI 02903
401.222.4935
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