Sen. Josh Hawley proposes legal age for social media

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMOV) - Missouri U.S. Senator Josh Hawley is pushing ahead with a proposal to create a legal age for kids to be on social media.

Hawley’s office said the aim is to protect kids online. He is proposing the age threshold be set at 16.

Companies would be mandated to verify the age of users.

Hawley’s pitch also calls for a congressional mental health study on the impact of social media on children.

What is not clear in the senator’s proposal is how companies would verify a child’s age.

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