Digital Citizenship and Media Literacy Act

Digital Citizenship and Media Literacy Act

This bill directs the Department of Education (ED) to award grants to state and local educational agencies to promote media literacy and digital citizenship. Among other things, media literacy includes the ability to access relevant information, analyze media content, evaluate the accuracy of information, and make educated decisions about products and services, education, health, and wellness based on information obtained from media and digital sources.

The bill defines digital citizenship as, among other things, the ability to safely, responsibly, and ethically use communication technologies and to participate in the political, economic, social, and cultural aspects of life related to technology and the digital world.

ED must establish a Federal Advisory Council to assist in evaluating and awarding grants and developing and making available to states and local educational agencies evidence-based model curricula and standards for media literacy education.

The Government Accountability Office shall report to Congress on media literacy and digital citizenship competencies in schools, and related issues.