Common Core State Standard L.CCS.1/2/3/4 Grades 6-12: Video of a current news event is presented for discussion to encourage student participation, but also inspire the use of evidence to support logical claims using the main ideas of the video. Students must analyze background information provided about a current event, draw out the main ideas and key details, and review different opinions on the issue. Then, students should present their own claims using facts and analysis for support.
05/18/2026
Spain pushes ahead with AI and social media safety rules
Spain vowed to push ahead with artificial intelligence and social media safety rules despite tech industry lobbying, with minister Oscar Lopez citing a “mental health pandemic” among youngsters involving cyberbullying and AI-generated sexual deepfakes. He wants companies to reveal how their social media algorithms work and hold executives personally responsible for hate speech on their platforms. Lopez is also pushing a common response by all European Union countries.
■Class discussion: Do you agree with Lopez that the “rights of millions” are more important than the profits of social media and AI companies? Have social media algorithms and AI programs damaged the mental health of users? Do laws setting age limits for using social media make sense to you? Why or why not? How much time do you spend on social media or AI chatbots each day? Could giving up or limiting the time you spend online make you happier? Have we grown addicted to these technologies?
