Parents are first line of defense
To the editor:
In my years serving Wellsville, I’ve seen firsthand that strong families are the foundation of our town. As a former councilman and school board member, I understand parents’ unique challenges in raising children in today’s digital age. While the online world offers immense opportunities, it also presents significant risks that parents must navigate to protect their children.
Across Ohio, parents are the first line of defense for their children’s safety, teaching right from wrong and guiding them toward success. The same standard should apply online, but the tools to protect children on social media are often inadequate or confusing, leaving parents powerless against the content that their teens consume on social media. The internet can be dangerous, especially for teenagers, who are vulnerable to inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and other online risks.
Family values, responsibility, and the care we provide for our children are at the heart of our community. Ohio has rightly acknowledged the gap in online safety for our teens, making strides with the Social Media Parental Notification Act, which mandates parental consent before minors can create social media accounts. However, to truly uphold the family values that are the bedrock of our society, we must simplify the process to put parents in control. Parents should not be left navigating a patchwork of confusing rules for different platforms that vary from state to state.
Parents must push for federal legislation requiring app stores to obtain parental consent before allowing teens under 16 to download apps. A parental consent requirement at the app-store level would streamline the process, allowing parents to monitor teens’ digital interactions without managing each account individually. By restoring parents’ control, we can provide a consistent, nationwide standard that protects every child in America, no matter where they live.
Leaders like Senator JD Vance and Representative Jim Jordan, who have tirelessly advocated for protecting family values, should champion a cause that safeguards our teens online. A consistent, nationwide policy can guarantee that the authority to decide what’s best for children remains firmly in the hands of parents rather than being dictated by tech corporations or government agencies. While the digital age has brought remarkable advancements, it has also introduced significant challenges for parents. We must empower parents to defend these values in the digital age. By enacting federal legislation that requires parental consent for app-store downloads, we can take a critical step toward securing a safer online environment for our teens. Now is the time for Congress to act and for all of us to work together to protect the future of our families.
JOHN MORROW,
Liverpool Township