▸SECTION 1
Chapter 93 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following new section:-
▸SECTION 115
Disclosure of computerized communications.
(a) For the purposes of this section, the following words shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
“Bot”, an automated online account wherein all or substantially all of the actions or posts of that account are not the result of a person including, but not limited to, a chatbot, artificial intelligence agent, avatar or other computer technology that engages in a textual or aural conversation.
“Online”, appearing on any public-facing Internet website, web application or digital application, including a social network or publication.
(b) It is hereby declared to be an unfair and deceptive act or practice in violation of section 2 of chapter 93A for any person to engage in a commercial transaction or trade practice with a consumer of any kind in which the consumer is communicating or otherwise interacting with a bot that may mislead or deceive a reasonable person to believe they are engaging with a human, regardless of whether such consumer is in fact misled, deceived or damaged thereby; provided, however, that a person utilizing or deploying a bot shall not be liable under this section if the consumer is notified in a clear and conspicuous fashion that they are communicating with a computer rather than a human being.
Show raw text
SECTION 1. Chapter 93 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following new section:-
Section 115. Disclosure of computerized communications.
(a) For the purposes of this section, the following words shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
“Bot”, an automated online account wherein all or substantially all of the actions or posts of that account are not the result of a person including, but not limited to, a chatbot, artificial intelligence agent, avatar or other computer technology that engages in a textual or aural conversation.
“Online”, appearing on any public-facing Internet website, web application or digital application, including a social network or publication.
(b) It is hereby declared to be an unfair and deceptive act or practice in violation of section 2 of chapter 93A for any person to engage in a commercial transaction or trade practice with a consumer of any kind in which the consumer is communicating or otherwise interacting with a bot that may mislead or deceive a reasonable person to believe they are engaging with a human, regardless of whether such consumer is in fact misled, deceived or damaged thereby; provided, however, that a person utilizing or deploying a bot shall not be liable under this section if the consumer is notified in a clear and conspicuous fashion that they are communicating with a computer rather than a human being.