§ 16-40-13 — Students Required to Complete a Social Media Safety Course Prior to Entering the Eighth Grade

Alabama § 16-40-13

• Jurisdiction: Alabama
• Title 16: Education
• Ch. 40: Instruction as to Certain Subjects
• Art. 1: General Provisions

Text

(a) No later than July 1, 2025, the State Department of Education shall develop and approve an asynchronous, digitally delivered course that addresses the risks of using social media and how to use social media safely.
(b) At a minimum, the course shall include the following topics:
(1) The benefits of safely using age-appropriate social media platforms, including career and resume building for future academic or employment opportunities; sharing information with family and friends; and safely connecting with other users with similar interests.
(2) The risks of social media use, including its negative effects on mental health including addiction; the distribution of misinformation on social media; how social media manipulates behavior; and the permanency of sharing materials online.
(3) Safe practices for using social media including how to report suspicious behavior; how to identify cyberbullying, phishing and scam communications, predatory behavior, and human trafficking; and maintaining personal security and preventing oversharing of personal information.
(c) The State Department of Education shall make the course available online and each local board of education shall reasonably notify parents of its availability. Each local board of education shall deliver the course to all students prior to entering the eighth grade and shall make the course available to students in grades eight through 12 who transfer to the school district or who otherwise have not completed the course.
(d) The State Board of Education may adopt rules to implement this section.

Legislative History

(Act 2025-386, §6.)