Washington – Teaching children to think for themselves and weigh information online is the goal behind a new online literacy program in New Jersey. While New Jersey became the first state to require online literacy for students, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein’s office launched its own initiative to protect children and teach best practices. Several other states including Florida, Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, and Texas have recently introduced their own proposals similar to New Jersey’s.
The Computer & Communications Industry Association applauds New Jersey and North Carolina for policies that help educate children and parents about how to use online tools while recognizing misinformation and other problematic content.
CCIA has advocated for free speech online, which includes companies’ rights to not be forced to publish content like misinformation.
The following can be attributed to CCIA State Policy Director Khara Boender:
“While online tools give unprecedented access to information that benefit students, there is always the challenge of bad actors spreading misinformation. Everyone has a role to play to keep children safer online. Companies are continually updating their trust and safety protocols, and having their efforts backstopped by users who are able to recognize scams or misinformation improves safety. CCIA lauds state efforts to develop online literacy programs like these to help achieve the shared goal of protecting internet users.”