Updates the definition of cyberbullying in the dignity for all students act

Showing the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.

• Democratic1

Shown in neutral colors by design; Agora is non-partisan.

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why Robert Jackson says this is needed

The need to improve civility and kindness in social interactions at schools, at school functions and on the internet remains a priority. Reports of bullying, a youth mental health crisis and increased youth suicide rates continue to make headlines. The Dignity for All Students Act, which initially became effective at the end of 2013, was designed to help prevent bullying/harassment/discrimination in public schools by identifying and addressing such behaviors at their earliest stages. Since 2013, technology has evolved and become ubiquitous. When DASA became effective, 37 percent of teens ages twelve to seventeen had a smartphone, and artificial intelligence seemed like science fiction to many consumers. Now, nearly all teens have access to a smartphone and AI models are widely available to the public, giving users the tools to easily create or alter imagery or mimic a human voice in ways that feel increasingly real. For children facing bullying and harassment at school, this is an urgent concern. Reporting shows that in schools across the country, students are the victims of malicious deepfakes, many of them sexually explicit. This kind of cyberbullying is traumatic, and victims often struggle with depression, anxiety, and the pain of reputational harm. This bill updates the definition of "cyberbullying" to address these new technolo- gies and prohibit the use of AI-generated likenesses to bully or harass students on school campuses or at school functions.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.