PRINTER'S NO. 942
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
73
Session of
2023
INTRODUCED BY PARKER, HOHENSTEIN, KINSEY, SANCHEZ, MADDEN,
KINKEAD, WAXMAN AND GREEN, APRIL 17, 2023
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, APRIL 17, 2023
A RESOLUTION
Directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to study,
analyze and report on the relationship between gun violence
and the use of social media in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia in recent years has
experienced an epidemic of gun violence, increased murder rates
and a significant upward trend in homicides and shootings; and
WHEREAS, As of December 28, 2022, there have been 1,797
nonfatal and 471 fatal shooting victims and 514 homicides in
2022 in the City of Philadelphia, according to the Philadelphia
Office of the Controller; and
WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Police Department has become
increasingly focused on monitoring social media activity, having
noted the upward trend in violent confrontations being posted to
social media, which is used to perpetuate, chronicle and
escalate these events in real-time; and
WHEREAS, Social media has driven young people in particular
to seek out tools and equipment like guns to commit acts of
violence; and
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WHEREAS, Social media posts often include threats, boast
about crimes committed, disclose an individual's affiliation
with street crews and make taunts and intimidations; and
WHEREAS, Though the inherent danger posed by social media is
not fully known, the rate of public engagement with these
platforms holds the potential to promote gun violence at a time
when other crimes have markedly decreased; and
WHEREAS, Gun policy researchers at Temple University recently
observed that while a global pandemic has greatly reduced in-
person interactions, social media perpetuates grudges and
grievances, often revealing the location of potential victims;
and
WHEREAS, Publicly accessible video and photographs posted and
disseminated widely on these platforms aid law enforcement in
identifying suspects; and
WHEREAS, As deadly shootings in Philadelphia continue, new
and updated solutions must be identified and considered, such as
social media partnerships, which can be an advantageous resource
in the fight against gun violence; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the
Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to study, analyze and
report on the relationship between gun violence and the use of
social media in Pennsylvania; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee
issue a report of its findings and recommendations to the
General Assembly no later than 18 months after the adoption of
this resolution; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives further urge all
social media companies to take a proactive role in fighting the
gun violence epidemic nationwide by monitoring and removing
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posts that incite violence from their platforms.
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