As the first generation growing up with access to social media, Gen Z kids are building a digital footprint both earlier and more expansively than any generation before.
Even for everyday internet users, we find difficulty in finding the balance between building an authentic — with emphasis on “authentic” — online profile and also protecting our offline privacy. For lawmakers writing legislation, the goal here shouldn’t be to codify the interests of prosecutors or Big Tech into legislation, but to secure individual agency for end-users.
On the night of Dec. 21, 2023, I conducted my usual routine. I took a shower, brushed my teeth, did my skincare, cried hysterically and crawled into bed to watch TikToks until my eyes burned from exhaustion, or what some call “winding down.” That was until I remembered what my dad told me earlier that day about taking some time off of social media.
