Progressive Sides With GOP Over Social Media

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In an opinion article written in 2024, Farleigh Dickinson University associate professor of communication Kara Alaimo, said Florida’s recent parental permission laws are “brilliant.”

Alaimo, a self-described progressive, said in April that Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ decision to sign a new law protecting children from social media is “brilliant — and should be a model for the nation.” The law precludes children aged 13 and under from having social media accounts and requires those aged 14 and 15 to have parental permission to use the platforms. (LEARN MORE: Interview Suggests New Evidence On Voter Machine Issues In 2020)

The law doesn’t stop there — it also requires age verification for websites that show sexually explicit images. Alaimo said it’s unclear whether the law will be allowed under the constitution, but children need the protections it pushes, and more.

Social Media And Mental Health

Alaimo cited studies from the U.K. that found high levels of social media use have a drastically negative impact on children, particularly young girls. The most vulnerable years for young girls on the Internet at 11 to 13, while for boys those ages are around 14 to 15.

“Parents I interviewed for my book frequently told me they feel pressured to let their kids use social networks because their children’s friends had phones and social apps and they didn’t want their kids to feel left out. Banning social media use altogether through age 13 will brilliantly take this pressure off parents, and maybe even give kids aged 14-15 an excuse to give their friends for why they’re not on social media —’ my awful parents didn’t give me permission,'” Alaimo wrote in her piece. (LEARN MORE: Countless Students Turn To Christ At US Colleges)

Contact Your Elected Officials Today

Did you know that you, your family, and friends can send letters directly to your elected officials today? We can tell your leaders what you want from their time in office, and what you expect from our federal government, particularly when it comes to protecting children from harm. Letter-writing campaigns, or even just a single letter, can be enough to sway policy and prompt investigations.

Sign up for millionvoices.org today (text MV to 80550) and share this article with your friends and family so they can stay informed and become citizen lobbyists in the pursuit of faith and freedom across our great nation.