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PBS NewsHour
Vint Cerf is known for his pioneering work as one of the fathers of the internet. He now serves as the vice president and chief internet evangelist for Google where he furthers global policy development and accessibility of the internet. He shares his Brief But Spectacular take on the future of the internet.

Aired: 01/03/24

Rating: NR

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PBS NewsHour | A Brief But Spectacular take on the future of the internet | Season 2024 | OPB

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A Brief But Spectacular take on the future of the internet

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"There hasn't been a whole lot from the federal government," Christine Dickinson, technology director of Maricopa Unified School District, south of Phoenix, Arizona, said in an interview. "We're hopeful that there is some guidance, however, we're going to go full steam ahead with making sure that we have all of the tools in place for our students to be successful and our teachers to make sure that they can uphold that academic integrity in their classrooms."

Oregon provides a checklist and other materials for schools looking to develop generative AI policies while California is directing schools on how they can integrate AI in the classroom in a way that prioritizes student safety. Mississippi expects to release school AI guidance in January, and Arizona is forming a committee in early 2024 to recommend policy procedures for implementing and monitoring the technology in schools.

"There's the balance of mitigating the risk that [AI] probably poses in terms of data privacy and bias and the equity implications, versus the opportunities it presents," said Charlene Williams, director of Oregon's state education department, who noted that the state received some federal input on its guidance.

The Covid-19 pandemic set off a boom in education tech as students and educators suddenly went virtual - a swift change that also sparked a federal crackdown on the industry over allegedly lax privacy practices.

Earlier this year, the Federal Trade Commission filed a complaint against the now-defunct ed tech company Edmodo, accusing them of violating COPPA, a federal law that bars using students' personal information for advertising without parental consent, among other violations. The complaint followed the FTC's warning to the ed tech industry last year that the commission was monitoring COPPA compliance.

Now the FTC is proposing to codify that long-held guidance that bars schools from authorizing data collection on children under age 13 for commercial purposes like advertising.

The scramble to adopt technology during the height of the pandemic led Arizona's state education department to beef up data privacy and security practices in 2022, according to Dickinson. The Maricopa school district, home to roughly 8,000 students, and others across the state, now work with 1EdTech, which helps them maintain a dashboard of ed tech vendors that have been vetted to work with children. The clearance process ensures the companies have met the district's data agreement and comply with COPPA and FERPA, two federal privacy laws aimed at protecting children online and student education records, respectively.

But as the pandemic eased and students returned to in-person instruction, artificial intelligence began accelerating existing concerns with education technology.

In addition to making policy and procedure recommendations, Arizona's forthcoming AI committee plans to issue guidelines on AI in the classroom that would supplement recommendations made at the federal level.

President Joe Biden's sweeping executive order on AI gives the Education Department roughly a year to develop more resources that address non-discriminatory uses of the technology. Additionally, the department hopes to release an "AI toolkit" in the spring to help schools implement the agency's policy recommendations. The toolkit would include direction on "designing AI systems to enhance trust and safety and align with privacy-related laws and regulations."

Parents are also worried about what's being done with their child's data. About 57 percent said their child's school or district hasn't asked for their input on how to "securely and responsibly use student data and technology," according to polling from the Center for Democracy and Technology conducted between June and August 2023.

Hannah Quay-de la Vallee, a senior technologist at the center, said that states can play a larger role in vetting and approving the privacy practices of vendors which could prove beneficial for smaller districts that don't have the capacity to do so.

"Both discrimination and privacy violations can result from lack of information about the system, lack of auditability of the system," Quay-de la Vallee said, noting that there's some overlap in how education leaders address both.

There's also legislation in Congress that would create more federal oversight and require some companies to report how their technology could impact consumers. But lawmakers, particularly in the Senate, are still mapping out the path for AI governance.

The Algorithmic Accountability Act, though not an education-specific bill, would affect ed tech companies and non-education-specific vendors contracted by schools. The bill would give the FTC more governance over some tech companies by requiring them to assess their AI systems for a range of factors like bias and effectiveness.

After a legal challenge and subsequent moratorium, New York banned the use of facial recognition in schools in September after the state found the use of the technology for security purposes "may implicate civil rights laws," noting that it could lead to a "potentially higher rate of false positives for people of color, non-binary and transgender people, women, the elderly and children." But in Montana, the state barred the continuous use of facial recognition technology by state and local governments but carved schools out of the ban.

Sen. Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat and a lead co-sponsor of the Algorithmic Accountability Act, told POLITICO he's "generally an opponent of facial recognition," noting that "a lot of the systems are deeply flawed."

"Facial recognition in schools should be banned until there is clear evidence that it is accurate, would actually improve safety in schools, and won't be used to target Black, Hispanic and other students of color," Wyden said in a follow-up statement to POLITICO.

Bree Dusseault, principal and managing director at the Center on Reinventing Public Education who has been tracking state guidance on AI in the classroom, underscored the significance of getting out preliminary AI resources now as schools are already seeing the technology used in the classroom.

"We learned this during the pandemic, that some [school] systems make choices to get out ahead and still put flags in the sand and try to put some initial thoughts and guidance out there - and others do not," Dusseault said. "And those have different implications on the students and the educators in those systems."

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Artificial intelligence stirs privacy challenges for schools

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State and local leaders are navigating protections for students despite a lag in federal support.

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Some comments by students

Images courtesy of Amanda Jones

"Mrs. Jones, somebody told me on Instagram last night that they wished I'd die," a 10-year-old student shared with me one day in the library. I was horrified.

My students range in age from 9 to 12. At any age, it would be overwhelming to see that on social media. I know from personal experience, having been the target of extremists for over a year now.

As an adult, it has been life-altering. I cannot imagine the impact on a child.

The conversation with that student made me curious about what else children are seeing online and how I can teach them to stay safe when navigating the internet. Our students are being barraged with hate from the devices in the palms of their hands. We need to be much more aware of our kids' online lives and start focusing on how to help them navigate social media.

I set out to design a lesson that would be a discussion, with opportunities for students to share their real-life experiences, draw on prior knowledge about internet safety, and walk away with more tools to help themselves.

It started with two prompts: Describe anything you've seen online that could be classified as bullying or hate, or share something inappropriate you've seen online; and What are several steps you can take to protect yourselves online? (We defined "online" as social media, YouTube, and gaming systems with internet connectivity.)

While displaying the prompts on a large screen, I gave everyone a sticky note for their anonymous answers. I asked the students to take time, sit, and reflect before answering. They placed the sticky notes on large posters-one for each question-in the front of the library.

I then read Nerdy Birdy Tweets by Aaron Reynolds. In the book, Nerdy Birdy gets swept up in the pitfalls of social media, much to the chagrin of his friend Vulture. Nerdy Birdy learns several valuable lessons about friendship and oversharing online.

My students said the story sounded all too familiar, although instead of the fictional platform Tweetster, their preferred social media tends to be Instagram and Snapchat.

According to terms of service for both platforms, users must be at least 13 years old. My students are not old enough, but nearly all have accounts. Very few said they are not allowed on social media. While some admitted to having accounts without parental permission, most said their parents know about their social media use. A few students told me that they have parental controls on their devices but know how to work around them. Most said their parents were not fully aware of inappropriate and upsetting comments and images they have been sent.

When asked if using Instagram and Snapchat was dangerous at their age, they all said yes. Next, we dove into their responses to the prompts from the beginning of the lesson. Answers to the question about bullying or inappropriate posts included:

* "Kids like to fat shame."

* "I have seen racist comments a lot."

* "Kids and adults will gang up on one kid and harass them over and over."

* "There's a man I don't know who keeps asking me for my address."

* "People ask me to send pictures that are bad."

The most troubling comment was the abbreviation "KYS." It appeared on more than 50 sticky notes, and I had no idea what it meant.

It stands for "kill yourself," my students told me. Even more disturbing: Kids in each of the 27 classes in my school, totaling more than 650 students, said that they, too, have been told this online.

Interestingly, my own teen said that she sees "KYS" a lot in games with the older kids but doesn't take it as bullying or a serious comment. The discussions we had in my lesson, however, led me to believe it was bullying. Many said a lot of kids pile up on one, telling them that over and over again. The younger kids see it as bullying and very mean, but it is notable to me that younger students and older students might view it differently.

When I asked my students how they could protect themselves online, they responded:

* "Tell an adult."

* "Take a break from social media."

* "Block and mute the person."

* "Don't give out personal information."

* "Never post your picture."

Amazing answers. But when pressed about whether they always follow their own advice, unsurprisingly, students admitted they do not. Most confessed to giving out personal information, posting pictures, and engaging with people who posted cruel or inappropriate comments instead of muting and blocking.

While they knew it was not worth engaging with internet trolls, my students all expressed how hard that can be, especially when they want to "save face" and seem cool. One told me that kids can get picked on even more if they don't stand up for themselves. This was a good teachable moment about protecting our own peace, ignoring toxic online behavior when possible, and reporting to adults.

We brainstormed ways to be an upstander if they see someone else getting attacked online. We decided that leaving positive comments could help boost the self-esteem of kids being bullied, but students told me that they rarely do, because it draws the attention of the trolls. In the end, they agreed they had tough decisions to make when online.

I anticipated a short conversation, but it became an extended, deep, and earnest discussion. The kids were actively engaged. It was almost as if they had been waiting for an adult to ask them these questions. The discussion was honest and difficult-and eye-opening for me and their other teachers. The trauma these kids can face while simply playing a game online or chatting with friends on social media did not escape me. I wonder how this generation will be as adults navigating the internet. Will some become more empathetic after having faced such toxic behaviors at such a young age, or will they continue the pattern as they grow older?

To finish, students wrote down the biggest takeaway from the lesson on a graphic created by Laura Trapp, aka The Trapped Librarian (trappedlibrarian.org). I will hang these outside of the library to remind students about responsible digital citizenship.
Amanda Jones is a middle school librarian in Louisiana. She is the 2021 School Librarian of the Year.

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2021 School Librarian of the Year Amanda Jones Creates Lesson About Navigating Social Media

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After a student shared an upsetting incident on social media, Jones set out to teach her students about safely managing social media and ended up learning a lot herself.

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Common Sense Media: Age-Based Media Reviews for Families

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Common Sense Media is the leading source of entertainment and technology recommendations for families. Parents trust our expert reviews and objective advice.

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The Kid Should See This: Educational videos for curious kids of all ages, a free resource for parents & teachers. Science, art, nature, animals, & more.

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Quick, grab-and-go lessons to help your students think critically about AI and its impact.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the world we live in. From using generative AI for schoolwork to dealing with misinformation and befriending AI chatbots, students have a lot to consider when it comes to this ever-evolving technology.

This collection of quick lessons (20 minutes or less!) provide an introduction to AI and help address its social and ethical impacts. Through these lessons, students will:

Understand what AI is and how it works

Consider some of its potential benefits and risks

Think critically about how we can be responsible and ethical users of AI

ChatGPT and Beyond: How to Handle AI in Schools

Here's what educators can do as artificial intelligence evolves.

Free Resources to Explore and Use ChatGPT and AI

Get an educator-focused approach to information, concerns, and uses for artificial intelligence.

Transforming Education with AI: What Educators Need to Know

Lessons and Tools for Teaching About Artificial Intelligence

Help your students understand the impacts and uses of AI.

ChatGPT: To Ban or Not to Ban?

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AI Literacy Lessons for Grades 6-12 | Common Sense Education

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Quick, grab-and-go lessons to teach your students how to be ethical and empowered users of artificial intelligence.

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ChatGPT and Beyond: How to Handle AI in Schools | Common Sense Education

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Here’s what educators can do as this technology evolves.

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Author Amy Krouse Rosenthal Shares a Bit of Wise Advice 

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Author Amy Krouse Rosenthal Shares a Bit of Wise Advice 

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What constitutes a life worthy of being remembered? In this award-winning 2010 Thought Café video about kindness, the late New York Times best-selling author Amy Krouse Rosenthal asks, "How do you want to be remembered?"

"What have you filled the world with? In remembering you, which words will others choose? I wonder. Don't you? Of all the possible adjectives, I think that if the word 'kind' appears in the mix, chances are very good that you have led a life worthy of being remembered. Kindness acts as a worthy marker that way."

Though we've yet to read Rosenthal's book recommendation, we're very familiar with the many popular children's books she's authored, including , That's Me Loving You, , and .

We also recommend the book by Pat Zietlow Miller and Jen Hill.

Next, watch Bus Station Sonata, Pass It On, The Lion and the Mouse, and What is Public Life?

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Kindness, a Thought Bubble by Amy Krouse Rosenthal - The Kid Should See This

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What constitutes a life worthy of being remembered? In this award-winning 2010 Thought Café video about kindness, the late New York Times best-selling author Amy Krouse Rosenthal asks, "How do you want to be remembered?" "What have you filled the world with? In remembering you, which words will others choose?

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12 ChatGPT Life Hacks That Will Blow Your Mind!

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Don't Use ChatGPT Until You Watch This Video

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We've created these digital safety resources to make it easier for families to incorporate and practice good digital habits in your everyday lives.