Bill Overview
Title: CHATS Act of 2022
Description: This bill directs the Department of Justice to modify the Uniform Crime Reporting Program in the Federal Bureau of Investigation to include data on any internet platform used in connection with criminal offenses.
Sponsors: Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5]
Target Audience
Population: Internet users potentially implicated in crimes
Estimated Size: 30000000
- The CHATS Act of 2022 involves data collection on internet platforms associated with criminal offenses.
- Internet users who might be using platforms associated with criminal activities could come under scrutiny.
- The act directly impacts social media companies and internet platforms as it involves reporting data related to their use.
- The law enforcement agencies would be involved in implementing and enforcing the reporting requirements.
- Researchers, policymakers, and criminal justice professionals may also be impacted as they will have access to more granular data about crimes involving internet platforms.
Reasoning
- Given the budget constraints, the policy primarily impacts law enforcement and specialized data handling personnel first, and only over time might affect general internet users tied to criminal activities.
- Since the primary target is the users of platforms potentially implicated in internet crimes, internet-savvy individuals with potential engagement in high-risk activities would be more impacted compared to the general internet user.
- Law enforcement agencies are likely to experience a high impact initially due to the increased demand for data handling and analysis, whereas direct impacts on individual internet users might see a slow onset.
- The policy could indirectly increase awareness about online activities among the broader population as the implications of using certain platforms become more widely known.
- Most individuals in the general internet population will likely experience minimal immediate impact, with significant effects mainly for those involved in potentially incriminating activities online.
Simulated Interviews
Software Engineer (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy seems to create more transparency, which is good, but I'm worried about potential overreach on data collection without proper safeguards.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 8 |
Civil Rights Attorney (Houston, TX)
Age: 42 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm concerned that the policy doesn't adequately protect citizens' privacy rights, potentially leading to misuse or over-surveillance.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 7 |
Influencer (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 25 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could affect how I use social media platforms. I'm concerned about being penalized for my online expressions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 9 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 9 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 9 |
Farmer (Rural Kansas)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 16/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I don't think this policy will have much impact on me. I don't use my internet for social media.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Journalist (New York, NY)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The CHATS Act could help shine light on the connection between social media and crime, but I'm worried about press freedom and data privacy.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 4 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 7 |
Retired Police Officer (Chicago, IL)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy is a positive step towards giving law enforcement the tools they need to fight digital crimes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
College Student (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 19 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As someone who values online privacy, I'm skeptical about how this will be implemented without infringing on personal freedoms.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 8 |
Small Business Owner (Seattle, WA)
Age: 47 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- If the policy means more transparency on social media platform misuse, it might benefit businesses in the long run.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 7 |
Cybersecurity Expert (Miami, FL)
Age: 36 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy could enhance security but needs to be carefully managed to avoid over-collection of data without consent.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 8 |
Web Developer (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could lead to better understanding of crime on platforms but is also quite invasive regarding user privacy.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $20000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $30000000)
Year 2: $15000000 (Low: $10000000, High: $25000000)
Year 3: $15000000 (Low: $10000000, High: $25000000)
Year 5: $20000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $30000000)
Year 10: $15000000 (Low: $10000000, High: $25000000)
Year 100: $25000000 (Low: $20000000, High: $35000000)
Key Considerations
- Potential privacy concerns from citizens worried about the collection and usage of their data.
- The possibility of resistance or non-compliance from internet platforms, requiring additional regulatory measures.
- The accuracy and reliability of the collected data depend on seamless integration with existing law enforcement systems.