Are Teenagers Lost in the Void?

Speaking with the youth-led coalition Design It For Us, they stressed that young people are not “helpless” or “in need of help” alone. They emphasized the importance of giving youth more control over their digital lives.

Vermont Lawmakers Weigh Harm, Privacy in Kids Code Bill

Kaitlynn Cherry, a 20-year-old Boston University student, supported the bill on behalf of youth-led coalition Design It For Us. Cherry said she was lucky that her parents taught her about staying safe online, and “ensuring I always read the terms and conditions.” She admitted that kind of support system is not the reality for many minors. “We cannot put the onus on parents like mine to safeguard my generation.”

Parents say Snapchat makes it easy for drug dealers to sell to their kids

But Zamaan Qureshi, with the youth advocacy group Design It For Us, says the company needs to make fundamental changes to the app’s features that allow predators to thrive online. 

“It’s a great place for young people to connect. But we cannot ignore the detrimental impacts that this application has had for many young people,” he said.

Gen Z Leaders Launch Historic Digital Bill of Rights

Last week, I witnessed a watershed moment in the fight for digital rights as the young leaders of Design It For Us gathered virtually to unveil their Declaration of Digital Rights. Their message was clear and powerful: “We are a generation that has grown up almost entirely online, and we’ve been addicted, manipulated, and taken advantage of by Big Tech. Enough is enough.”

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