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Tennessee Conservative News Staff –
Tennessee schools will now be educating students on internet safety and social media in the upcoming 2026-2027 school year.
Lawmakers passed the “Teen Social Media and Internet Safety Act” last year, requiring the Tennessee Department of Education to create guidance for public schools and public charter schools for instructing students in grades 6-12 on social media and internet safety. The Department’s deadline was January 1, 2026.
Another portion of the law, banning students from accessing social media on school internet, went into effect in the 2025-2026 school year.
While legislators initially called for the Department to create curriculum for schools, that was changed to “guidance” because of the fiscal impact coming up with curricula would have.
The guidance, which has now been released to schools, gives districts a choice in how they present the information. It can be done through classroom lessons, presentations, or partnerships with community organizations.
Students in grades 6 to 12 must receive instruction on the following topics:
- Time management and healthy behaviors on social media
- The negative effects of social media on mental health, including social media addiction
- How information is distributed on social media
- How social media can manipulate behavior
- Maintaining personal security and preventing personal information from being overshared
- How to identify cyberbullying, predatory behavior, and signs of potential human trafficking
- How to report suspicious behavior to the appropriate authorities
- The importance of evaluating information generated by artificial intelligence (AI) and the potential for misinformation when using AI
- The benefits of social media as it pertains to career and resume building, the sharing with family and friends, and safely connecting with others who share similar interests
Parents can submit a request in writing to the school if they wish for their child to opt out of the lessons.
