SHIELD Act of 2025

The SHIELD Act of 2025 directs the Secretary of Defense to establish a one-year pilot program to create and deliver a training curriculum for members of the Armed Forces on interacting with digital information in a safe and responsible way. The curriculum focuses on media literacy and information hygiene—teaching service members to identify fact- vs. opinion-based journalism, disinformation, conspiracy theories, and hate-based ideologies (including antisemitism and white supremacy); assess the credibility of digital sources; understand the impact of online actions; protect personal information; recognize and mitigate information-based threats to individuals, property, or DoD security; and employ methods for locating, evaluating, and using digital information that reduce insider threats related to conspiracies and hate ideologies. The program must use a diverse participant sample, deliver training through in-person, virtual, and hybrid formats in equal measure, and conclude after one year. Afterward, the DoD must survey participants and instructors, and within 180 days submit a report to Congress comparing delivery methods and making recommendations on permanency and curriculum updates.