Florida lawmaker aiming to have ‘social media safety’ taught in classrooms

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — Kids are racking up extra display screen time than ever earlier than on social media, and Florida State Sen. Danny Burgess (R) thinks they want “social media security” taught within the classroom.

Burgess proposed the invoice for the second time this 12 months, with hopes of creating it regulation.

If authorized, Florida may require public faculties to show social media security for the primary time within the state’s historical past.

“It’s about defending youngsters,” Burgess stated. “It’s about serving to them understand issues they do at this time might reside lengthy after they posted it.”

The invoice goals to tell youngsters of the benefits and downsides of social media by instructing them social media literacy.

Each Republicans and Democrats have been on board for an nearly similar invoice final session, too. However regardless of bipartisan assist, it stalled in committee and died earlier than reaching the chamber flooring.

If handed, the most recent model of Burgess’ proposed invoice requires the state’s Division of Schooling to provide you with a social media security curriculum. They’d additionally make tutorial supplies accessible on-line so mother and father can take a peek themselves.

One other massive a part of this invoice defines — for the primary time in state regulation — what social media is. 

The proposed definition? “A type of interactive digital communication by way of an Web web site or software by which a consumer creates a service-specific figuring out consumer profile to attach with different customers of the Web web site or software for the aim of speaking and sharing data, concepts, information, tales, opinions, photographs, movies, and 31 different content material.”

The proposed laws is about to be heard throughout March’s legislative session.