ExecutiveOrdersEO
MemoMemorandumBiden · D

Presidential Memorandum

Establishment of the White House Task Force to Address Online Harassment and Abuse

This memorandum establishes a White House Task Force co-chaired by the Gender Policy Council and National Security Council to coordinate federal efforts against technology-facilitated gender-based violence, including online harassment, deepfakes, and doxing targeting women and LGBTQI+ individuals. The Task Force must deliver an Initial Blueprint within 180 days, a 1-Year Report within one year of that blueprint, and annual follow-up reports thereafter.

Federal Register Open PDF 87 FR 37431

Impact dates

  1. 1-Year Report due to President and public release

  2. Annual follow-up reports to President

  3. Initial Blueprint due to President

Key directives

  • Establish White House Task Force to Address Online Harassment and Abuse within EOP
  • Co-Chairs: Director of White House Gender Policy Council and Assistant to President for National Security Affairs
  • Assess and address technology-facilitated gender-based violence across executive departments
  • Improve interagency coordination for preventing and addressing online gender-based violence domestically and globally
  • Enhance federal data collection and research on prevalence, costs, and mental health impacts
  • Increase survivor-centered services and training for federal, state, local, Tribal, territorial, and global entities
  • Develop programs addressing online harassment of women and LGBTQI+ public figures and leaders
  • Evaluate adequacy of existing federal laws and regulations for addressing technology-facilitated gender-based violence
  • Identify opportunities in foreign policy and foreign assistance including through Global Partnership for Action on Gender-Based Online Harassment and Abuse
  • Submit Initial Blueprint to President within 180 days with whole-of-government approach and concrete agency commitments
  • Make executive summary of Initial Blueprint publicly available after submission
  • Submit 1-Year Report to President and make publicly available within 1 year of Initial Blueprint

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

  • Task Force establishment
  • Co-Chairs designated
  • agency membership assembled

Near term (90d)

  • stakeholder consultations
  • data collection and research expansion
  • preliminary policy recommendations to President

Long term

  • Initial Blueprint due (180 days)
  • 1-Year Report due
  • annual follow-up reports
  • potential regulatory and legislative recommendations on tech sector accountability

Risks & tensions

  • Task Force has no binding authority over independent regulatory agencies (section 7(b)), only 'strongly encouraged' participation
  • Implementation explicitly 'subject to availability of appropriations' (section 7(c)), creating funding uncertainty
  • No enforcement mechanism for agency commitments in Initial Blueprint
  • Periodic recommendations on 'tech sector accountability' could conflict with First Amendment concerns if regulatory actions proposed
  • Global scope (foreign policy, international assistance) may strain limited resources or encounter diplomatic friction
Presidential Memorandum: Establishment of the White House Task Force to Address Online Harassment and Abuse · Executive Orders