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At Khmer Maine, we hear from parents in our community every day. One concern that keeps coming up? Keeping kids safe online. Social media is deeply woven into teenage life, and for many parents — especially those navigating language barriers and demanding work schedules — it can feel nearly impossible to keep up.
Right now, every social media app has its own set of rules, features, and parental controls. That creates a system full of loopholes — loopholes that teens (and worse, predators) can exploit simply because parents don’t have the time or resources to stay on top of every single platform.
That’s why a federal solution requiring app stores to verify age and obtain parental consent for users under 16 just makes sense. Instead of forcing parents to manage settings across countless apps, this approach provides a single point of control. Just like how parents get notified when their child tries to make a purchase, they’d get an alert when their teen attempts to download a social media app, giving them the chance to approve or deny access.
This isn’t about keeping teens from valuable online resources. It’s about giving parents awareness and a say in what platforms their kids are using. And by shifting age verification to the app store level, we also protect kids’ privacy by reducing the number of platforms collecting their personal data.
Maine families shouldn’t have to navigate this digital minefield alone. We urge Maine’s congressional delegation to support federal legislation that ensures parents have the tools they need to keep their kids safe online. It’s a simple, commonsense step that will make a real difference for families in our community.
Marpheen Chann
Portland
