Pilot program for digital information training for members of the Armed Forces

(a)

Pilot program

Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall establish a pilot program (in this section referred to as the pilot program) to develop a training program that teaches members of the Armed Forces to interact with digital information in a safe and responsible manner. (b)

Elements

In carrying out the pilot program, the Secretary shall— (1)develop and carry out a curriculum that includes instruction on— (A)how to identify— (i)fact-based journalism; (ii)opinion-based journalism; (iii)disinformation; (iv)conspiracy theories; and (v)hate-based ideologies, including antisemitism and white supremacy; (B)how to assess the credibility of digital news and other digital sources of information; (C)the effects of online actions on the actor and others, including the effects of posting or sharing personal, incorrect, or bias-based information; (D)the importance of protecting personal information and how to protect personal information with respect to online activities; (E)how to recognize and avoid common information-based threats that could harm— (i)an individual targeted by such threats; (ii)the property of the individual; or (iii)the security, property, or goals of the Department of Defense when the individual is a member of the Armed Forces; and (F)in the case that the individual is a member of the Armed Forces, methodologies— (i)that the individual can use when locating, evaluating, and using digital information; and (ii)which are designed reduce insider threats to, and vulnerabilities of, the Armed Forces with respect to conspiracy theories and hate-based ideology; (2)select as participants a geographically and demographically diverse sample of members of the Armed Forces in such number as is necessary to collect meaningful feedback about the training program; and (3)use in-person, virtual, and hybrid training delivery methods in equal amounts. (c)

Termination

The authority of Secretary to carry out the pilot program shall terminate on the date that is one year after the date on which the pilot program begins. (d)

Consultation

In carrying out the pilot program, the Secretary may consult with organizations that specialize in teaching or providing information to individuals about interacting with digital information in a safe and responsible manner. (e)

Survey

After the date on which the pilot program terminates pursuant to subsection (c), the Secretary shall survey participants and instructors to identify— (1)ways to improve the training program and curriculum; (2)ways to improve participant engagement during the training program; and (3)the extent to which participants retained, over time, the information taught during the training program. (f)

Report

Not later than 180 days after the termination of the pilot program, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report summarizing the results of the pilot program, including— (1)a comparison of the in-person, virtual, and hybrid training delivery methods, considering— (A)the engagement of participants during the training program; (B)the extent to which participants retained, over time, the information taught during the training program; and (C)other notable differences, as determined by the Secretary; (2)a determination, based on such comparison, about which training delivery method is most effective for teaching the curriculum developed under subsection (b)(1); (3)a recommendation about how often a member of the Armed Forces should be required to attend a permanent training program about interacting with digital information in a safe and responsible manner, if established, considering the extent to which participants of the pilot program retained information taught during the training program; and (4)a recommendation about how often the curriculum of any such permanent training program should be updated.