Thank you, Zachary. I'll be quick.
My name is Josephine Maharaj, and I'm 17 years old. I'd just like to thank the chair and members of the committee for this opportunity.
Social media is a system that shapes what we see, how we feel about ourselves and how we think we're supposed to look, act and live. Having come of age in the last decade, I can say that logging off is no longer a viable option for dealing with the risks that come with being online. The Internet is no longer a place that we can leave. It is a cornerstone of our lives. School, work, friendships, news and hobbies are now largely set in the digital landscape.
Current attempts to make the online world safer for children are often remedial or insufficient. They come in the wake of preventable tragedies, and they are often not extensive enough to prevent more kids from being exploited, groomed or hurt.
Thoughtful solutions can only be developed through respectful and consistent collaboration between youth and policy-makers and by holding tech companies accountable for systems designed to take advantage of those who use them.
Thank you for your time.