Relating to minors using the internet, including social media and internet safety instruction and education requirements in public schools and liability for publication of obscene material available to minors on the internet

This bill relates to minors using the internet, including social media and internet safety instruction and education requirements in public schools and liability for publication of obscene material available to minors on the internet. DIVISION I —— SOCIAL MEDIA AND INTERNET SAFETY EDUCATION. This division of the bill requires the department of education to create and offer a curriculum for instruction on social media safety for student in grades through 12. The curriculum must include but is not limited to: (1) time management and healthy behaviors on social media, (2) education on the negative effects on mental health social media can produce, (3) the distribution of information on social media, (4) how social media manipulates behavior, (5) the permanency of sharing materials online, (6) how to maintain personal security and identify cyberbullying, predatory behavior, and human trafficking, and (7) how to report suspicious behavior. The curriculum may also include the benefits of social media use. Parents or guardians are allowed to opt a child out of such curriculum. The bill provides that the department and school districts shall prohibit student access to social media platforms through the use of internet access supplied by the school district, except for educational purposes. The bill requires the department and school district to adopt an internet safety policy that does all of the following: (1) limits access by students to only age-appropriate materials, (2) protects the safety and security of students when using forms of direct electronic communication, (3) prohibits access by students to data or information, and (4) prevents access to internet sites, web applications, or software that does not protected against disclosure, use, or dissemination of students’ personal information. The division of the bill does not apply to nonpublic schools. DIVISION II —— DISTRIBUTION OF OBSCENE MATERIAL TO MINORS. This division of the bill creates civil liability for commercial entities who publish or distribute material harmful to minors on the internet. The bill provides any commercial entity that knowingly or intentionally publishes or distributes obscene material to minors on the internet from a website that contains a substantial portion of such material shall be held civilly liable if the entity fails to perform reasonable age verification methods to verify the age of individuals attempting to access the material. Any commercial entity that is found in violation shall be civilly liable to an individual for damages resulting from a minor’s accessing the material, including court costs and reasonable attorney fees as ordered by the court. The bill does not impose civil liability on a provider or user of an interactive computer service on the internet.