SB 1001 (Ch. 892, Stats. 2018) — California bot disclosure law (Bus. & Prof. Code §§ 17940–17943)

Summary

California SB 1001 (2018) makes it unlawful to use a bot to communicate or interact with a person in California online with intent to mislead them about its artificial identity, in order to incentivize a purchase or sale in a commercial transaction or to influence a vote in an election. A person is not liable if the bot's use is disclosed clearly and conspicuously in a way reasonably designed to tell people it is a bot. The law sets no penalty of its own; the Attorney General and local prosecutors can seek civil penalties of up to $2,500 per violation under the Unfair Competition Law. Enacted September 28, 2018; operative July 1, 2019.

Key dates

1. September 28, 2018Enacted
2. July 1, 2019Takes effect
3. October 16, 2026Checked against sources
4. October 21, 2026Checked against sources

Developments are added when the record is reviewed. Next review: October 16, 2027.

Evidence

Each passage is quoted from its source. The quoted passages are re-checked against the live pages every month.

1. SB 1001 (Hertzberg, Ch. 892, Stats. 2018) made it unlawful to use bots posing as humans to induce commercial transactions or influence elections.

   Supports: Bill number, chapter and what it prohibits

   AB 410 (Wilson) committee analysis California Assembly Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection Primary source

2. Enacted on September 28, 2018, SB 1001 prohibits use of online bots in a deceptive or misleading manner for certain commercial or political purposes. The law will become operative on July 1, 2019

   Supports: Enactment and operative dates

   The law does not specify its own internal enforcement mechanism, but California’s Attorney General (and potentially, California district attorneys and local prosecutors) can seek civil penalties of up to $2,500 per violation of the law under the UCL.

   Supports: Penalty and enforcement route

   California Regulates Online Bots Cooley Reporting or analysis