This section says the chapter applies only to certain digital service providers, and it lists several providers and services that are excluded.
Sec. 509.002. APPLICABILITY. (a) Except to the extent that Section 509.057 applies to any digital service provider, this chapter applies only to a digital service provider who provides a digital service that: (1) connects users in a manner that allows users to socially interact with other users on the digital service; (2) allows a user to create a public or semi-public profile for purposes of signing into and using the digital service; and (3) allows a user to create or post content that can be viewed by other users of the digital service, including sharing content on: (A) a message board; (B) a chat room; or (C) a landing page, video channel, or main feed that presents to a user content created and posted by other users. (b) This chapter does not apply to: (1) a state agency or a political subdivision of this state; (2) a financial institution or data subject to Title V, Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (15 U.S.C. Section 6801 et seq.); (3) a covered entity or business associate governed by the privacy, security, and breach notification rules issued by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, 45 C.F.R. Parts 160 and 164, established under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (42 U.S.C. Section 1320d et seq.), and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (Division A, Title XIII, and Division B, Title IV, Pub. L. No. 111-5); (4) a small business as defined by the United States Small Business Administration on September 1, 2024; (5) an institution of higher education; (6) a digital service provider who processes or maintains user data in connection with the employment, promotion, reassignment, or retention of the user as an employee or independent contractor, to the extent that the user's data is processed or maintained for that purpose; (7) an operator or provider regulated by Subchapter D, Chapter 32, Education Code, that primarily provides education services to students or educational institutions; (8) a person subject to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C. Section 1232g) that: (A) operates a digital service; and (B) primarily provides education services to students or educational institutions; (9) a digital service provider's provision of a digital service that facilitates e-mail or direct messaging services, if the digital service facilitates only those services; or (10) a digital service provider's provision of a digital service that: (A) primarily functions to provide a user with access to news, sports, commerce, or content primarily generated or selected by the digital service provider; and (B) allows chat, comment, or other interactive functionality that is incidental to the digital service. (c) Unless an Internet service provider, Internet service provider's affiliate or subsidiary, search engine, or cloud service provider is responsible for the creation of harmful material or other content described by Section 509.053(a), the Internet service provider, Internet service provider's affiliate or subsidiary, search engine, or cloud service provider is not considered to be a digital service provider or to offer a digital service if the Internet service provider or provider's affiliate or subsidiary, search engine, or cloud service provider solely provides access or connection, including through transmission, download, intermediate storage, access software, or other service, to an Internet website or to other information or content: (1) on the Internet; or (2) on a facility, system, or network not under the control of the Internet service provider, provider's affiliate or subsidiary, search engine, or cloud service provider. Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 795 (H.B. 18), Sec. 2.01, eff. September 1, 2024. SUBCHAPTER B. DIGITAL SERVICE PROVIDER DUTIES AND PROHIBITIONS