HB 825

This bill enacts the "Teen Social Media and Internet Safety Act, which require s the department of education (""department"") to develop social media and internet safety curricula, including instructional materials, for students enrolled in a school in an LEA or public charter school in grades 6-12. CURRICULA By January 1, 2026, thi s bill requires the department to develop the curricula and materials, and update them when necessary to reflect changes in social media use, emergent technologies, and new threats to teens using social media. The curricula must be in conformance with th e following requirements:  Time management and healthy behaviors on social media.  The negative effects of social media on mental health.  The distribution of information on social media.  How social media manipulates behavior.  The permanency of sharing materials online.  How to use social media safely.  Emphasizing the importance of evaluating information generated by artificial intelligence and understanding potential misinformation when using artificial intelligence. This bill authorizes the social media and internet safety curricula to include the benefits of social media use. However, the benefits of social media must be limited to (i) career and resume building for future academic or employment opportunities; (ii) sharing information with famil y and friends; and (iii) safely connecting with other users with similar interests. REQUIREMENTS Beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, this bill requires each LEA and public charter school that enrolls students in any of the grades 6-12 to instruct suc h students using the curricula, including instructional materials, outlined above. The department must publish the instructional materials developed onto the department's website. Notice This bill requires each LEA and public charter school that enrol ls students in any of the grades 6-12 to notify parents or guardians of those students that such instructional materials are available on the department's website and the LEA's or public charter school's website. Parental Opt-Out This bill requires a p arent or guardian of a student who wishes to excuse the student from any portion of the social media and internet safety instruction to submit a request, in writing, to the student's instructor or principal. A parent or guardian of a student who wishes t o excuse the student from all portions of social media and internet safety instruction must submit a request in writing to the student's principal. A student who is excused from any or all portions of social media and internet safety instruction must not b e penalized for grading purposes if the student satisfactorily performs alternative lessons. SOCIAL MEDIA ACCESS Beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, this bill requires each LEA and public charter school to prohibit students from accessing social me dia through the use of internet access provided by the LEA or public charter school, except when expressly authorized by a teacher and solely for educational purposes. INTERNET ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY Present law requires each LEA to adopt an internet acc eptable use policy. At a minimum, the policy must contain provisions that:  Are designed to prohibit certain inappropriate use by school district employees and students of the school district's computers via the internet.  Seek to prevent access by students to material that the school district deems to be harmful to juveniles.  Select technology for the LEA's computers having internet access that will (i) filter, block, or otherwise prevent access to pornography or obscenity through online resources; and (ii) prohibit and prevent a user from sending, receiving, viewing, or downloading materials that are deemed to be harmful to minors, according to obscenity laws.  Establish appropriate measures to be taken against persons who violate the policy.  Include a component on internet safety for students that is integrated in a school district's instructional program.  Encourage communications with parents that raise awareness about internet safety using existing avenues of communication, such as parent-teacher conferences. This bill requires the following additional provisions for each LEA's internet acceptable use policy:  Limit students' internet access to only age-appropriate subject matter and materials.  Protect the safety and security of students when using email, chat rooms, and other forms of direct, electronic communications.  Prevent students' internet access to websites, web applications, or software that does not protect against the disclosure, use, or dissemination of students' personal information. ON MARCH 27, 2025, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 825, AS AMENDED. AMENDMENT #1 makes the following revisions:  Requires the department to develop guidance, instead of curricula, for LEAs and public charter schools to instruct students in grades 6-12 who are enrolled in the LEA or public charter school on social media and internet safety.  Removes the provision requiring the department to publish materials described in the bill on the department's website.  Removes the provision requiring each LEA and public charter school that enrolls students in any of the grades 6-12 to notify parents or guardians of students in grades 6-12 that the materials described in the bill are available on the department's website and the LEA's or public charter school's website.  Requires the social media and internet safety guidance to include, amongst other information, how to identify signs of potential human trafficking."