Tennessee enacted the Teen Social Media and Internet Safety Act, requiring the Department of Education to develop comprehensive guidance on social media and internet safety for grades 6–12. The curriculum must include instruction on evaluating information generated by artificial intelligence and recognising potential misinformation, alongside topics such as algorithmic behavioural manipulation, online personal security, and mental health impacts of social media use. Starting in the 2026–2027 school year, all local education agencies and public charter schools are required to implement the curriculum. Parents may excuse their children without academic penalty.
The act passed unanimously in the Senate with bipartisan support. The American Legislative Exchange Council cited it as a national model for responsible technology use in schools.
Who it affects: All Tennessee public K-12 students in grades 6–12 and their teachers, starting academic year 2026–2027; an estimated 300,000+ middle and high school students. Local education agencies must implement the DOE-developed guidance.
Relationship to existing law: This complements the binding AI use policy requirement under SB 1711 (2024). Where SB 1711 required all schools to adopt AI use policies, this act mandates actual instructional content — specifically including AI evaluation and critical thinking about AI-generated content — making it the first Tennessee law to require substantive AI curriculum delivery.
What is notably missing: The act covers evaluation and recognition of AI misinformation but does not mandate a broader AI literacy curriculum (how AI works, ethics of AI development) or teacher AI training requirements. Ethics coverage is limited to the social media context rather than broader AI ethics instruction.