NY A08688

Requires website administrators to remove anonymous comments within 48 hours upon valid request from a victim or person acting on behalf of a victim under 18 years old, unless the poster agrees to attach their name and confirm their IP address, legal name, and home address are accurate.

Defines website administrators as entities responsible for maintaining websites, social networks, blogs, forums, or message boards hosted on servers located in New York State.

Requires website administrators to verify a removal request by confirming the requestor's IP address, legal name, and home address; confirming the requestor is the victim; and making good faith efforts to determine comments are factually based, accusatory, or slanderous rather than opinion.

Mandates website administrators post a clearly visible contact number or email address for removal requests in comment sections.

Classifies willful disclosure of personal information obtained during the removal process to unauthorized persons as a Class A misdemeanor, except for disclosures to law enforcement investigating the posted comments.