Education, Department of; publish guidance relating to best practices for secure browsing and parental controls; require
HB 829 would expand Georgia’s online safety framework in two main ways. First, it directs the Department of Education to develop and periodically update model internet and social media safety programs for students in grades 6 through 12. These model programs must cover topics such as the social and mental health effects of social media, misinformation and disinformation, how social media shapes behavior, the permanence and risks of posting online, harmful content for minors, age verification, cyberbullying, predatory behavior, human trafficking, and how to report suspicious activity. The department must also post the model programs, recommended curricula, instructional materials, and guidance on secure browsing and parental controls on its website, and provide technical assistance to local school boards that choose to use them.
Second, the bill amends Georgia’s online safety law to require the Attorney General to publish an annual report on enforcement actions taken under the state’s age-verification and harmful-materials provisions. The Department of Education is also instructed to consider that report when evaluating the reach and impact of online safety education efforts. Local boards of education are permitted, but not required, to add online and social media safety instruction to their instructional programs.
The bill would amend Title 20 and Title 39 of the Georgia Code by adding new duties for the Department of Education and the Attorney General. It would not mandate a statewide classroom requirement for every local school system, but it would create state-developed model content and public guidance that local boards may adopt. It also adds a reporting obligation to the Attorney General’s online safety enforcement statute, increasing transparency around enforcement of age-verification and access-to-minors provisions and linking that enforcement data to education policy review.
The bill’s structure suggests generally favorable sentiment toward youth online safety, with an emphasis on prevention, parental support, and school-based education rather than punishment alone. Because there are no committee transcripts or recorded votes in the provided materials, there is no direct evidence of debate or opposition in the record supplied. The bill’s sponsors and the subject matter indicate support for stronger protections for minors navigating social media and other online platforms.
The main policy tension in the bill is between state guidance and local control. The bill requires the Department of Education to create and maintain model programs and publish guidance, but it leaves local boards discretion over whether and how to incorporate the material. Another possible point of contention is the scope of the curriculum, which includes sensitive topics such as mental health, misinformation, age verification, cyberbullying, predatory behavior, and human trafficking; some stakeholders may view this as necessary protection, while others may question state involvement in curriculum design or the inclusion of social media content in school instruction. No specific objections are documented in the provided record.