Bill > SB844

This bill aims to enhance Hawaii's public education system by authorizing school complexes to incorporate media literacy into their standards-based curriculum. The legislation recognizes the growing challenges of digital misinformation, disinformation, digital discrimination, and online hate speech, which have been linked to real-world violence and societal divisions. Drawing on research that shows the harmful impacts of these digital threats, including a Council on Foreign Relations report and a Kaiser Family Foundation study about COVID-19 misinformation, the bill seeks to empower school complexes to develop curriculum that helps students critically evaluate digital content. Specifically, the bill amends existing education statutes to allow schools to create K-12 learning materials that teach students how to identify and prevent the negative consequences of online misinformation, hate speech, and digital discrimination. The goal is to advance informed digital citizenship by providing students with the skills to navigate and understand complex digital information landscapes, ultimately supporting the broader democratic principles of equality, liberty, and justice through education.

Education

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=844&year=2025