Students use AI constantly — and they think it's "cringe." Curriculum specialist Soni on that gap, what it means for teaching, and what changed in our biggest curriculum update yet.

I've taken a lot of classes over the years. Cyber Civics is one of the few I still think about regularly — especially when I'm online. Here are the three lessons I learned as a student that I still carry with me today.

A Stanford study found that AI chatbots often validate users' opinions, even when those opinions involve harmful or unethical behavior. Researchers discovered that AI systems were more likely than human advisors to agree with users, making them feel more certain they were right and less willing to repair relationships. This tendency, known as AI sycophancy, highlights the growing need for AI literacy and critical thinking skills as more people rely on AI for advice and guidan

You've likely been hearing the term "AI literacy" a lot lately. Schools hear that legislation is coming to mandate it. Teachers hear they should be teaching it—and using it themselves. Parents hear their kids should be learning it. But what is "it," exactly? This uncertainty is why so many schools feel stuck right now. You can’t teach something well when you can’t define it. So let’s define it.

Online manipulation today is less about obvious lies and more about creating confusion, distrust, and division. From foreign influence campaigns to misinformation surrounding human rights abuses, disinformation spreads through social media and seemingly trustworthy news sources. This article explores how low media literacy leaves societies vulnerable, why countries like Estonia treat it as a national security issue, and what the U.S. is still missing.

Online gambling isn’t just a casino problem anymore — it’s embedded in the digital world kids navigate every day. From sports betting apps and loot boxes to influencer content and prediction markets, young people are being exposed to systems specifically designed to keep them engaged. In this powerful essay, Soni Albright explores how teens understand the psychology behind gambling mechanics like FOMO, dopamine loops, and sunk cost fallacy — yet still feel fully in control. T