Reps. Michael McCaul (R-TX) and Jim Langevin (D-RI) introduced this week a measure designed to streamline the information transfer on imminent violence threats, whether the intent is to harm oneself or others.
The Protecting America through Information Sharing Act empowers the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to designate a clearinghouse responsible for receiving online threats of imminent violence from social media companies and disseminating them to appropriate law enforcement to halt attacks before they happen.
“As we reflect on the one-year anniversary of the tragic El Paso shooting, we must not forget those who lost their lives,” McCaul said. “Directly after the El Paso shooting, I started to work with stakeholders on a solution to prevent such violence. Many incidents of violence over the past several years – including the El Paso shooting – could have been prevented if there was an efficient way to flag social media postings with the appropriate law enforcement agency – be it federal, state, or local. With this enhanced capability, our nation will be better equipped to not only thwart cowardice acts of terror but also save lives.”
McCaul said, by solidifying a stronger partnership between social media companies and law enforcement, authorities can expedite the sharing of information to intercept at-risk individuals before an attempt on one’s own life or another occurs again.
“I am proud to join Representative McCaul in pushing for voluntary collaboration between law enforcement and social media to protect our citizens,” Langevin, a senior member of the Committee on Homeland Security, said. “Relationships between government and social media companies have been strained, but we need to bring them together to actually lessen the threat of violent crime.”