Welcome to a breakpoint, a daily look in an ever-changing culture through the lens of

unchanging truth.

For the Colson Center, I'm John Stone Street.

Recently, Florida Governor Ron Desantis signed a law to prevent children younger than 14 from

having social media accounts. Now Florida is not the first state to attempt to restrict

use of social media by minors. But a year ago Utah also passed a law that would require

parental consent for minors to have social media accounts and would require

social media platforms to allow parents to see the post and messages put by their children.

Now supporters of these laws will point to the countless documented ways that

social media and digital technologies harm teenagers.

On the other side are those concerned, rightfully so, that these would be laws that would

enable government encroachment on personal freedom and would lead to increased surveillance

and intervention by the state.

Not to mention, isn't it the parents who should manage how children use smartphones and

social media, not the state?

Well, of course, they should be.

But for the most part, it's not happening.

For social media platforms fail to provide the necessary tools for parents to help protect their children.

As Mother of Five and CEO of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation,

Dawn Hawkins has noted, quote, the parental controls do not work.

They've designed these platforms without parents in mind.

For example, there are over 32 steps required on Apple devices

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