CALEDONIA, Mich. (WOOD) — A nationwide coalition of digital safety advocates is pushing for the creation of an independent board to review and rate social media apps, much like movies and video games.
“Apps used by millions and millions of teens have no independent rating agency associated with them,” said Chris McKenna, founder of the West Michigan-based nonprofit Protect Young Eyes.
“We think it’s time some accountability gets built into that because so many young people are being impacted by these apps.”
McKenna is partnering with agencies and advocates across the country for the#fixappratingscampaign, including the National Center on Sexual Exploitation.
“Parents are empowered with rating information to keep kids out of R-rated films, but when it comes to apps, parents are left in the dark about the kind of content their children are accessing,” said Dawn Hawkins, executive director of NCOSE.
NCOSE describes itself as “the leading national organization exposing the links between all forms of sexual exploitation such as child sexual abuse, prostitution, sex trafficking and the public health crisis of pornography.”
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