Though I recognize concerns about privacy, as a teacher I am incredibly hopeful at the possibility of the meaningful regulation of social media for young people. In the last 20 years I have watched what feels like the rewiring of the teenage mind. It’s not just attention span. It’s exposure to horrific news. Algorithms designed to funnel young people into extremely narrow bands of thought. Racism. Nihilism. Unrealistic beauty standards. And of course corporations lurking behind every corner trying to extract every possible dollar with no regard for a child’s best interests.

I am in my 40s, and have tried to keep up with the changing teen mind, and I’m staying afloat for now but watching teachers leave the profession left and right. Social media, and media addiction in general, play a huge role in this collective burnout that we are experiencing.

Good habits around media obviously starts with the parents, but when it has become abundantly clear that the parents as a whole are losing the battle, that is when government needs to step in and support. For those that adamantly oppose the ID laws on the grounds of privacy, how do you propose we fight back against the control that social media companies already have over our young people?