Last week, Missouri Senator Josh Hawley introduced a bill that would set the legal age to sign up for a social media account at 16, and social media companies would be responsible to enforce compliance. 

On one hand, it is ultimately the parent’s job to keep kids safe. On the other, many aren’t doing that job, and this is a mental health emergency. According to a new report from the CDC, rates of depression and suicidality among teen girls have skyrocketed in the last 10 years. Even the internal research from social media companies suggest that apps like Instagram and TikTok are dangerous for kids. 

Leaving a kid alone with the internet in his or her pocket is like letting a toddler swim alone. Hawley’s bill is unlikely to pass, but it should. Laws teach and protect. Like with cigarettes, it is easier to protect kids from social media if they never start and it is made uncool. In a crisis moment like this, the more protective barriers, the better.