Diplomat Jim Patterson on the Requiring Reporting of Online Terrorist Activity Act

Jim Patterson with David Gergen at the National Press Club, Washington DC. Discussing the Nixon, Ford, Reagan and Clinton administrations

I am encouraged by Senator Feinstein's response to my recent letter on weaponization of Social Media. Senior leadership is needed on this crucially important issue. Social Media management must take responsibility for what users put on their platforms. This means Mark Zuckerberg, Jack Dempsey, Larry Paige must use some of their enormous profits to ensure Congress that terrorists cannot use U.S. companies to attack U.S. citizens. We will write more on this developing and complex subject.
James E. Patterson

December 21, 2016 Mr. James Patterson San Francisco, California   Dear Mr. Patterson: Thank you for writing to express your concerns regarding terrorist recruitment through social media.  I appreciate the time you took to write, and I apologize for the delay in my response.                  I understand that you have strong concerns regarding the prevalence of terrorist recruitment through online tools such as social media.  I am deeply troubled that extremists are able to recruit new members or inspire lone wolf attacks through social media, and I am working with my colleagues in Congress to determine what more can be done to prevent online terrorist recruitment.  As Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, protecting Americans from terrorism is of paramount importance to me. You may be interested to know that I am a sponsor of the “Requiring Reporting of Online Terrorist Activity Act” (S. 2372), which would require social media companies to report instances of terrorist activity to law enforcement.  While this bill would not require companies to monitor their users, if companies become aware of terrorist activity they would be required to report it.   I am also an original co-sponsor of the “Defeat ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria) and Protect and Secure the United States Act of 2015” (S. 2377).  This bill would direct the President to develop a comprehensive program to counter ISIS propaganda, including on social media sites.  This bill would also create an Office of Community Partnerships within the Department of Homeland Security, which would utilize social media as a tool to counter violent extremism. S. 2372 and S. 2377 have both been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee, of which I am a member.  Please be assured that I appreciate hearing your thoughts on this matter, and I will keep your views in mind as I continue to work with my colleagues in the Senate to protect Americans from violent extremism. Once again, thank you for writing.  If you have additional questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact my Washington, D.C., office at (202) 224-3841 or visit my website at www.feinstein.senate.gov.  Best regards. Sincerely,       Dianne Feinstein                  United States Senator DF:dxm Further information about my position on issues of concern to California and the nation are available at my website,Feinstein.senate.gov. And please visit my YouTube, Facebook and Twitter for more ways to communicate with me.