Our kids are at the mercy of tech companies, with only an outdated law to protect them.The apps are addictive by design. While kids are experiencing a dopamine rush, tech companies — in a drive to maximize engagement and, thus, profits — are collecting their data without their overt consent while also exposing them to adult content and corrosive peer judgment.We know full well who’s making a bundle off our weaknesses. Online privacy regulations in the U.S. intended to protect young children are either woefully out-of-date or easily circumvented. But pending legislation introduced in May by Senators Edward J. Markey, Democrat of Massachusetts, and Bill Cassidy, Republican of Louisiana, would update those rules by banning targeted advertising aimed at children and raising the age of internet users whose data cannot be collected without their consent from 12 to 15, among other measures.
At www.nytimes.com
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