Int. No. 1019
By Council Member Zhuang
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to advertising programs and services on digital platforms used by older adults
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Chapter 2 of title 21 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 21-220 to read as follows:
§ 21-220 Outreach on digital platforms. a. Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
Bias risk. The term “bias risk” means the potential for a study’s design, administration, or analysis to produce inaccurate or skewed results.
Data cleaning. The term “data cleaning” means the process of preparing data for analysis, including by correcting errors and removing incomplete, duplicative, or irrelevant data.
Digital platform. The term “digital platform” means a website, mobile application, or online service that is available for public use and enables users to view, create, and interact with information.
Distribution method. The term “distribution method” means the process used to disseminate study materials to participants.
Sampling strategy. The term “sampling strategy” means the method used to select a subset of individuals or entities from a target population for participation in or analysis as part of a study.
Target population. The term “target population” means the specific group of individuals or entities that a study is intended to collect information about.
b. Study. No later than 120 days after the effective date of the local law that added this section, the commissioner shall complete a study to determine the most frequently used digital platforms among older adults. The study shall include, at minimum:
1. A survey of the digital platforms most frequently used by older adults, disaggregated by, at minimum, the following:
(a) Ethnicity;
(b) Gender;
(c) Location;
(d) National origin;
(e) Primary language spoken;
(f) Race; and
(f) Socioeconomic status.
2. An analysis of whether certain demographic groups of older adults are more or less likely to utilize digital platforms, and if so, which non-digital sources such demographic groups most frequently use to gather information about programs and services;
3. An analysis of the rates at which the digital platforms the department uses to advertise programs and services for older adults are used by different demographic groups of older adults, and whether other platforms or non-digital sources should be utilized;
4. An analysis of best practices used by other agencies to advertise programs and services for older adults, including the digital platforms such agencies use to conduct outreach to older adults; and
5. A methodology section, which shall include, at minimum:
(a) A general description of how the study was administered;
(b) The target population;
(c) The sampling strategy;
(d) The distribution method;
(e) The response rate;
(f) Potential issues with data quality, including any bias risk; and
(g) The data cleaning methodology.
c. Plan. No later than 150 days after the effective date of the local law that added this section, the commissioner shall submit to the mayor and the speaker of the council a plan for advertising programs and services for older adults on digital platforms, based on the results of the study required pursuant to subdivision b of this section. The plan shall include, at minimum:
1. A summary of findings of the study required pursuant to subdivision b of this section;
2. The full methodology section of the study required pursuant to paragraph 5 of subdivision b of this section;
3. Actions the department shall take to advertise programs and services on digital platforms most frequently used by different demographic groups of older adults;
4. A timeline for implementing the actions pursuant to paragraph 3 of this subdivision; and
5. An explanation of how the department shall assess the efficacy of the outreach plan in the future.
d. Report. No later than 1 year after the effective date of this local law, the commissioner shall submit a report to the mayor and the speaker of the council that shall include:
1. A summary of actions the department has taken to advertise programs and services on digital platforms most frequently used by different demographic groups of older adults;
2. An assessment of the efficacy of outreach to older adults on digital platforms most frequently used by different demographic groups of older adults; and
3. Actions the department shall take in the future to improve outreach efforts.
§ 2. This local law takes effect immediately.
HK
LS #23110
7/21/2026 11:00 AM