Washington State Senate Sending Gov. Inslee Comprehensive Digital Citizenship Legislation

Policymakers in Washington State have passed the nation's first comprehensive digital citizenship legislation, which will soon arrive on the desk of Gov. Jay Inslee.

Kids have never had as much access to the Internet and mobile technologies at home and school as they do today. While technology has great promise for learning, kids don't always make sound judgments when navigating the digital world. School administrators and educators are now faced with challenges, such as screen time, privacy, digital footprints, and cyberbullying.

Common Sense Education has been a leading resource for school administrators, educators, and parents interested in learning additional ways to help kids thrive in a world driven by media and technology. For kids, good online behavior mimics good offline behavior, and there is no differentiating between the two when it comes to safety, responsibility, and respect.

The proposed legislation in Washington State would call on the state office of the superintendent of public instruction to develop and distribute a list of digital citizenship best practices and recommendations to school administrators. The legislation also calls for the development of a state advisory committee that includes industry experts, administrators, educators, and others to review digital citizenship curriculum and policy.

Common Sense Kids Action encourages Gov. Inslee to sign SB 6273 and commit to creating safe communities for kids both online and offline.