The Lost Screen Memorial

Daniel was such a kind person. He genuinely cared about people. He was a good brother and loved life.

Social media introduced my son to drugs. His death was captured live on Snapchat.

I will never recover from my son’s death. I believe Snapchat should be banned for minors.

– Erica, Daniel’s mom

Coco was a vivacious, smart and creative young woman who also struggled with ADHD and bouts of anxiety. She loved to go thrift shopping with friends and design new clothing from her found treasures. She was a big jokester–always playing pranks on friends and family, especially her sister. She was empathetic and deeply cared about people, especially those who were vulnerable and suffering. Issues like homelessness, child and sex trafficking, and refugees were often topics of conversation. In the future, she wanted to work as a social worker or psychologist to help people who were in pain and suffering.

By 13, Coco was addicted to her cell phone and social media. I did my best to oversee her social media usage—limiting access, implementing safeguards, and talking with her about online risks. But she would do whatever it took to get on her phone. She slowly stopped wanting to do the things she used to love – lie reading, track, writing, and art. She started spending more time in her bedroom, isolating from the family, and became increasingly anxious and depressed. It was our main point of contention, and I felt like a prison warden in my own home. I tried to get her help but she resisted.

Just a couple of weeks after her 17th birthday, a young adult man befriended her on Instagram, and after few hours DMing with her, offered her a prescription pill to help her with her anxiety. He sent her a photo of the pills, which looked identical to genuine ones, along with an address to meet. Coco left the house that fatal afternoon and never made it home. The pill was fake, laced with fentanyl. She was poisoned and left for dead near his house.

Parenting is difficult to begin with, and placing the burden solely on parents to keep their kids safe online is unrealistic and wrong. Congress must pass legislation to make social media safer for kids. Big Tech needs to be held accountable for the way they design their products, which are purposely geared to addict minors, collect their data and maximize profits.

Our kids are their pawns and even while data shows children are becoming increasingly depressed and anxious, and some even dying, Big Tech continues to choose profits over kids’ lives and do so because they can.

– Julianna, Coco’s mom

Riley was a charismatic child, always the life of the party. He loved to joke around. He was an avid outdoorsman and loved playing sports. He had delightful friendship and siblings and cousins galore. Riley was not suicidal and he did not want to die.

Riley joined Facebook to use its Marketplace. Despite the restrictions we had in place because of his age, he was sextorted on Messenger by a criminal from another country. Riley was tricked and scared and made a permanent decision for a temporary problem.

We believe that Riley was the second known case of financial sextortion. Our children are a product being bought and sold by tech and advertisers. I want to change the narrative and work to teach people about the attention economy, persuasive design and the unsafe big tech business model.

– Mary and Darren, Riley’s parents

Archie was fearless. He was a talented gymnast and MMA fighter. He was funny, kind and loved animals. My beautiful, perfect little boy. Arch made me laugh and smile every single day of his life. He was loved, and still is, by so many.

Archie joined social media during lockdown. He couldn’t play sports and in his boredom, he turned to TikTok.

I wish people understood that by giving your child access to social media, you are allowing billions of strangers to access them. Harmful content, like the challenge Archie mimicked that led to his death, have no place on social media.

– Hollie, Archie’s mum

Breck was a kind, clever, handsome, laid-back, conscientious and adored boy who loved science, tech, computing and gaming. He was a helpful big brother to younger triplets siblings and my loveable right-hand man.

At just 13 years old Breck was groomed online through gaming and social media apps while gaming and socialising with ‘real’ friends from school. The groomer built a relationship with Breck through their shared interests and then began to manipulate and control him by buying him presents and isolating him from friends and family. The groomer’s final act was luring Breck to his death with a fake offer of an “amazing” career opportunity.

I tried to save Breck by asking for help at school, talking about my concerns to other parents and teachers, limiting Breck’s contact with the predator and even phoning the police, but no one would believe me when I said my son was in danger from online grooming. I set up the Breck Foundation to educate children, parents, teachers, police, and the government about the dangers children face online. We desperately need the government to ensure social media and gaming companies are taking responsibility for what happens on their platforms – safety to children must come before their profits.

– Lorin and Barry, Breck’s parents

My daughter was my only child. From the moment she was born until she went to college, we were practically inseparable! She went with me wherever I went. And in fact, she was nicknamed my ” Mini Me”. She was a happy, smiling, very curious baby – who grew into a semi-happy child. She was bullied from kindergarten until high school and I tried to do whatever I could to protect her. She loved going on road trips, whether it was 2 hours or 10 hours. We drove home to Wisconsin several times a year to visit my parents and her grandparents – she was so loved. She grew up listening to 80’s music, because that was my era, and she thought it was cool. She used to surprise me by decorating our apartment for Christmas. She would make birthday cards for me, before she could buy them on her own, that she would have her classmates sign – I loved that. She was so kind, considerate and loving. I miss her so much. She was and always will be my Baby Bear, and my heart is forever broken.

I truly believe that social media played a role in Faith’s life, because no one knew her. It was very hard for her to meet friends and when she did, they used her and treated her terribly – they were never good enough for her. She was always self conscious from middle school through college. She rarely liked herself and thought she was fat and ugly. It broke my heart every day that she couldn’t see what I and her family saw- a beautiful young lady! She told me she went on SnapChat because she had “friends” on there. After she passed, I was told that she purchased weed and other drugs from SnapChat. I know in my heart that she didn’t choose to die. She had so many hopes and dreams.

I hate SnapChat and I blame them for her death. If she never would have found SnapChat, she may still be alive. If I could ban SnapChat and other social media for poisoning my child as well as other children, I would. My childhood was so much more simple without the internet. We didn’t have computers or cellphones and we talked to people in person. If only people weren’t out to take advantage of other people and use and abuse them online, this world might be a safer place.

– Julie, Faith’s mom

Mason was always ready for an outdoor adventure whether it be camping, hiking, or fishing – nature was his happy place. He was creative, smart, went to a good school, had good friends, had just started his first job at a landscape business, was ready to start driving, and wanted to join the Army. He was enjoying life as a typical teen.

Despite the weekly checking of his devices, watchdog apps in place, and candid conversations about online safety, the algorithm still found a way to feed Mason “the choking challenge” unsolicited. Mason tried this viral trend and it went horribly wrong, which is common with this social media challenge. Mason died on May 4, 2019 at the age of 15.

I want to warn all parents that whether your child is living a healthy and well-balanced lifestyle or they are struggling with typical teen issues, the algorithms will find what will keep them engaged and exaggerate the content to keep their eyes on the screen longer. All young users on social media are at risk of seeing unhealthy content.

– Steve and Joann Bogard, Mason’s parents

Carson was a really active kid with beautiful blue/green eyes and a smile that would light up the room. He had a great sense of humor and an amazing talent for creating catchy phrases, imitating accents, reciting Shakespeare, acting in plays and writing short stories. Carson was social and really enjoyed starting conversations with people. He loved scary movies and would do “jump scares” on us. There wasn’t a carb that he didn’t eat and when he hugged me, he would squeeze so hard he would lift me off the ground.

Carson did not have social media until he got to high school, when he begged for Snapchat because that was the way that all the kids were connecting. When he reached out to his high school classmates to connect during Covid, they used Snapchat’s anonymous apps Yolo and LMK to cyberbully him. He received hundreds of humiliating and harassing messages in the two weeks before his suicide. The last search on his phone was for hacks to find out who was doing this to him.

We want people to know that in the end, kindness REALLY matters. If you see bullying or cyberbullying, be an upstander and stand up for the one being attacked. There is a real person with real feelings on the end of these devices and you never know what they are personally going through. If you aren’t ready to put your name and face next to a post, then maybe you shouldn’t send it at all.

– Kristin and Tom, Carson’s parents

Nate was a bright, kind, and sensitive soul with a wonderful sense of humor. He had a lifelong love of sports, especially basketball, and possessed an encyclopedic knowledge of sports trivia. Competing in fantasy leagues brought him joy, as did playing the game itself and spending time with friends both on and off the court. Nate also had a passion for food—he loved hamburgers and steaks, but his greatest culinary weakness was Middle Eastern cuisine, particularly chicken shawarma.

Nate was cyberbullied by certain classmates and basketball teammates at the Latin School of Chicago through a JV basketball group chat and Snapchats posts. In addition to the horrifying harassment, insults and threats of physical and deadly harm, Nate received a message through Snapchat directing him to go kill himself. Nate reported the group chat and the Snapchat posts to the school. The school did not take appropriate measures to protect Nate and we were not notified of Nate’s cyberbullying report as required by Illinois law. Nate died by suicide a month later.

We cannot accept the status quo. Children who experience cyberbullying are three times more likely to self-harm, attempt or die by suicide. Parents must take an active role in educating and empowering their children—encouraging them to turn to a trusted family member for help, whether they are the victim or a bystander.

We call on both parents and children to act quickly, and without hesitation. Protecting your child—or someone else’s—can prevent the devastating consequences of cyberbullying. It can even save a life. Nate would still be with us today if we had been alerted that he was in danger.

– Rose and Rob, Nate’s parents

There is so much to say about McKenna. She was a unicorn. McKenna was beautiful, compassionate, loving, spiritual, hilarious, and ironically resilient. She excelled socially, academically and athletically. She was a goalie playing Tier 1 girls hockey, high school hockey and flag football. But her biggest achievement was being such an amazing daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, and friend. She was the biggest advocate for her special needs sister, McKinley. She could light up a room.

She was so looking forward to her senior year and the rest of her life. She had so much yet to do and so much still to give. Anyone who met her was better for having known her. She helped so many people while she was here, and yet she has helped so many more since she has been gone. Her kindness and her love knew no bounds. Like her, they were infinite.

McKenna, like most other teenagers, communicated with her friends through social media. McKenna first experienced cyberbullying during her freshman year. One of her best friends was mad at her and obtained a compromising photo of McKenna. The photo was then shared via text and social media. It spread rapidly throughout school and the online community. She worked hard to get past the embarrassment and humiliation. She rebuilt her self-esteem and pushed on with her life. Then just days before she was to begin her senior year of high school she was the target of online bullying. A girl was mad over a boy. A small group of friends/teammates/classmates harassed her for days. They used social media to share screenshots that revealed McKenna had been sexually assaulted at a young age. They “cancelled” her via social media. She knew the embarrassment, humiliation and betrayal of online bullying all too well. No one knew better than McKenna that you can’t outrun the internet. Early the next morning she decided to take her own life.

We need stronger safeguards to protect kids online—lives are at stake. Social media platforms and Big Tech must be held accountable. Cyberbullying, sextortion, easy drug access, and deadly viral challenges are killing kids every day. How many more lives must be lost before online safety becomes a priority? The time for action is now. This must stop.

– Cheryl and Hunter, McKenna’s parents

Nicholas Cruz Burris – Cruz – was a “Beautiful Boy”. He was vivid, loving and had a personality that would charm you. If you ever met our son, you would love him too.

Cruz loved to be the center of attention. Through his short 15 years of life, he created a friendship circle with more friends than we could ever imagine. His best friends’ parents treated him like their own child. Cruz was creative and intelligent. He was on his way to becoming a great musician as he took up the guitar so naturally. Cruz was gifted to become anything he desired in life. Rhonda and I always thought, “There was nothing he could do that couldn’t be done”.

Cruz is deeply missed by everyone he loved.

At the time, we were naïve about social media’s true intentions. Rhonda and I did not understand the dangerous implications of, not only drug dealers, but of all the solicitation and manipulations, suggestions, distortion, and murderers which were allowed to seek their prey. Snapchat was the avenue in which a local drug dealer had the ability to sell our son a counterfeit pill containing fentanyl – for $20.00 our son lost his life.

We need to educate parents and children of the harmful effects of ingesting any drug, and moreover, we need to tell parents our children’s social media use must be monitored – immediately. We would also like for these companies to regulate and block the predators from harming and killing our children.

– Andy & Rhonda, Cruz’s parents

CJ was a daddy’s boy who went everywhere Chris went. He loved working on cars. He could look at something and know how to fix it. He was so smart. He was always there for his friends, from working on their cars to driving them to where they needed to go or picking them up in the middle of the night if they didn’t have a ride home. CJ was loved by all who knew him.

CJ was so hooked on social media that he would only get three to four hours of sleep a night for the last three months before he took his own life. He was not thinking about how his brain needed sleep – only what was going on on his social media pages.

We wish social media platforms would stop the algorithm that makes them so addicting and put an age limit on their sites so kids can’t see things they should not see.

– Donna & Chris, CJ’s parents

Gage was a smart, curious, and kind 14-and-a-half-year-old boy who loved making people laugh. He enjoyed playing soccer and video games with his friends and was generally very cautious when it came to trying new things. Gage was easygoing, very generous, and always ready to help his classmates in school and friends and family whenever needed. He had the best smile and gave the biggest hugs.

Gage was introduced to the “pass out” or “choking” challenge by social media. The videos he and his friends saw on Instagram made them comfortable with experimenting with this challenge and it led to his death.

This could happen to anyone. You think your kids are smart enough to recognize the potentially catastrophic consequences of their actions, but when they are being inundated with videos of people doing risky things while smiling, laughing, and enjoying themselves, they are lulled into a false sense of security that nothing bad will happen. There needs to be more regulation of the internet and stricter age verification standards.

– Laurie and Bill, Gage’s parents

Murray was a bright, funny and kind boy. He loved hanging with his friends and going to watch his local football team play. He was creative and was good at art and playing the guitar. His family and friends all loved him so much and he loved them. He also adored his pet dog, Meg.

Murray was sextorted by an evil scammer via Instagram. They terrorised him into taking his own life.

Don’t just talk to your children about what not to do on social media. Talk to them about what to do when things go wrong. We’ll never know why Murray didn’t just come to us and give us a chance to reassure him and fix it.

The social media companies need to be held accountable for the fact that children are dying because their platforms aren’t safe. They need to step up and put our children’s lives ahead of their profits. They could easily prevent so many of the online harms that are occurring, but they choose not to.

– Ros and Mark, Murray’s parents

Mason was a fun-loving, big-hearted teddy bear who gave the biggest hugs and had the most beautiful smile. His energy was palpable – we always knew when our little “firecracker” was home. He loved playing football, fishing, wrestling with his brothers and his dogs, and being outdoors. He wanted to grow up and serve the community in some way. He dreamed of being a police officer, joining the military or being a lawyer that would protect children all over the country. After he passed, people I didn’t know reached out to me to share stories about Mason’s kindness towards them.

After a bad breakup, he turned to TikTok looking for positive affirmations and inspirational quotes. Instead his feed was filled with content promoting and glamorizing suicide. He saw the first video of this kind on November 1 and was gone 13 days later. Not a day goes by that we don’t miss him – even his puppies still lay on his bed, hoping he’ll come home.

Every day I wake up to the reality of my son being gone and it’s something I never want another family to experience. If we had laws, like the Kids Online Safety Act, that set boundaries for social media platforms, I know Mason would be alive, 18 years old, about to graduate high school this year. Even the best of parents don’t know everything that their kids are being exposed to online and it only takes one video, or comment, or drug dealer to come into your child’s life and take everything.

– Jennie, Mason’s mom

Luca was a beautiful soul. He believed we all have the power to change the world, through teamwork.

Social media facilitated his death. At 13 years old Luca was offered a Percocet for root canal pain by a dealer on Snapchat that was pure fentanyl. Without Snapchat I believe my son would be alive.

I would like to see options for independent third party monitoring software available for use across all social media platforms giving parents the ability to thoroughly monitor minor accounts. I would like to see social media platforms protect minor accounts from the same algorithms that have been shown to be addictive to adults and would like to see them put youth mental health above profits. I would like to see full cooperation including transparency and accountability in social media interactions with law enforcement.

– Amanda, Luca’s mom

Fentanyl is an ominous word. The media broadcasts it in connection to the opioid crisis. It sounds nefarious but it still seems distant. Until it becomes personal.

My son Daniel had a heart of gold. He excelled in academics and sports and loved basketball, composing music and singing. He had big dreams of becoming a businessman so he could fund world missions. His desire was to help others who struggled and hoped they would come to know the love of God.

During my son’s junior year in high school, I noticed a change in his mood. He seemed withdrawn and appeared to lose interest in all the things he once enjoyed. He struggled with depression, anxiety and insomnia and was prescribed medication by a doctor, which he ultimately became addicted to.

He sought treatment for his addiction and completed his program in July 2020. He found a job and pursued college. He was doing well, and I was so proud of him. When his insomnia came back, his doctor was hesitant to prescribe him medication again. He tried alternative methods – exercise, relaxing music, and meditation. Nothing seemed to work.

On Snapchat, he was referred by a friend to a young man who was selling alleged pharmaceutical-grade pain medications. On September 15th, my son asked to buy what he thought was Percocet. It was not. It was pure fentanyl, a lethal dose. My beautiful son died that night. Fentanyl seems distant till it becomes personal and it kills.

Social media made it easy for my son to access all dangers that I tried so hard to protect him from. It was the vehicle used to kill him. I would like a customer service line from the platforms made available for parents and concerned consumers.

– Perla, Daniel’s mom

Emma Claire was our first born. She was beautiful from the day she was born with a big smile that was contagious. Emma Claire was a confident and happy girl who was always making us laugh. She truly lit up a room when she entered, loved being onstage and was the life of the party. Emma Claire never met a stranger – she made people feel special, like they were her best friend. She was active in and out of school. Our lives happily revolved around her interests. Our schedule was filled with things Emma Claire liked to do: playing basketball, showing livestock, doing pageants, attending church services, deer hunting etc.

Emma Claire had asked for Snapchat for years but we always said no. When she was a sophomore in high school she once again asked for Snapchat and this time accompanied her request with a poster stating all the reasons she needed Snapchat. The main reason was her basketball team used the app to communicate and she needed to be included in the communication. We gave her some rules and decided to allow her to use the app. That is a decision I regret every day.

Less than a year after she joined Snapchat, she took her own life on August 8, 2021. We believe social media contributed to her death. We learned that she had become addicted to social media, getting little sleep the few months before she died. The images she viewed eroded her self-confidence. The most devastating aspect of social media was the harassment she faced continually as well as the dangerous content that was pushed to her. All of this took place in secret.

We want others to learn from our great tragedy. We don’t want anyone to ever experience the loss that we live with daily. Social media is dangerous and can be deadly for kids and teens. We want social media companies to take responsibility and to be held accountable for their dangerous products. We want laws passed to help protect our kids online.

– Ryan and Darla, Emma Claire’s parents

Tanner was sentimental, funny, thoughtful, and enjoyed the small moments. He loved his sisters, family, and the magic of the holidays. Tanner played elite lacrosse, soccer and varsity basketball through middle school and high school. Being able to watch him out on the court and field was a gift.

The excessive need to be on his phone and social media took Tanner away from wanting to do the activities he had previously loved. It caused a lack of sleep, depression, and for him to engage in unsafe behavior.

We never could have imagined the daily struggle, lies, and sneaking around that came with the addiction to his phone and social media. We would like the algorithm to change. There should not be maps that follow our children’s whereabouts and allow others access. There should be stricter rules, regulations, and guidelines and the platforms should be required to comply like all other companies.

– Selene and Taj, Tanner’s parents

From the very moment Isaac was born, he filled our hearts with so much joy. His laughter and love were a constant reminder of what truly matters in life. As he grew, so did his vibrant personality — curious, intelligent, and always eager to share his “random fact of the day” with anyone who would listen. He had such a thirst for knowledge, and it was a joy to watch him discover and learn new things every day.

Isaac’s love for his family was unwavering. He never shied away from telling us how much he loved us, and the bond he shared with his sister was something truly beautiful. They were more than siblings — they were soulmates, always looking out for each other.

As a 13-year-old, Isaac was energetic, adventurous, and loved exploring new interests. He was also blessed to have a close-knit group of friends, who he considered his “brothers.” Their bond was unbreakable, and Isaac was always the one who would offer help, guidance, and loyalty to those who mattered most to him.

Isaac was, and will always be, a beautiful soul — a person who touched the lives of everyone he met with his warmth, love, and kindness.

Isaac was mainly into gaming and used his phone for chatting to friends. When the lockdown hit, social media became a bigger part of his day. We agreed to let him get TikTok – his sister had it and it seemed harmless. Back then it was silly things like the bottle flip, the floss, ice bucket and dance routines. Why would we worry? How wrong we were.

The dangers on social media are out of control and I strongly advise parents to hold off on giving their child a smartphone. Children deserve to have a childhood. The social media companies need to ramp up age verification and stop the harmful, negative algorithms now.

– Lisa and Mark, Isaac’s parents

Christopher was just starting his life as an adult. He loved drawing, painting, cooking, fishing and making people laugh. He taught himself how to play the guitar and built his own computer from scratch. Filled with compassion and love, Christopher would always find the perfect gifts for friends and family and never cared if he received anything in return.

Christopher struggled with Social Pragmatic Disorder, which made him wise beyond his years and also made it difficult to make friends his own age. He worked hard and made so much progress in his social skills but often found it easier to interact with people online. Social media seemed like a great way for Christopher to socialize with people who shared his interests without the anxiety of in-person experiences.

However there was a dark side to the online world. Christopher was targeted by drug dealers who preyed upon his insecurities. He died of an accidental fentanyl overdose from pills he bought online.

I will never get to see him grow into the man he was becoming. His siblings have lost one of their best friends. All we have left are the memories that we cling to.

I can’t bring Christopher back, but I can try to save other kids from the same fate by sharing Christopher’s story and fighting to hold social media companies accountable.

We recall car seats, high chairs and cribs. We require seat belts and helmets. We put warnings on small appliances, movies, pornography and household products that contain poisons. We do all this in an attempt to keep our kids safe. Yet no action has been taken on one of the biggest threats to children across the world. Social media companies are pushing a dangerous product into every household in the world and hiding from the repercussions. It is imperative that governments worldwide take action now. If you are in the USA, please call your state representatives and demand they pass The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) before any other children are harmed.

– Diane, Christopher’s mom

At the young age of 18, Brillion was already a beacon of light in this world, with a joyful laugh that was contagious and could lift the heaviest of hearts. She was more than just an amazing person; she was a force of love, kindness, and generosity, the kind of soul that made everyone around her feel seen and cherished. Brillion’s love showed in everything she touched—she was a gifted cook, a talented artist, an incredible singer, a skilled writer, and a master of hair and makeup. She excelled at whatever she set her mind to, creating beauty wherever she went. But beyond her talents, it was her heart that made her unforgettable.

Brillion had fallen victim to the cruelty of mean girl bullying, a hurt that chips away at one’s spirit and changes the course of a person’s life. Social media, with its distorted view of beauty, played a key role in this pain. At the same time, social media’s easy access to deadly Fentanyl—targeted at young people through bold, unchecked ads—should be illegal. These companies must be held accountable for their role in enabling these tragedies and the loss of our precious children. They need to be held responsible for the irreversible harm they have caused.

Brillon’s absence has left a gaping hole in the hearts of the many who loved her. The love and light she brought into our lives has been forever extinguished, and the pain we carry will never fade. We are left with profound sorrow that will remain with us until our very last breath. To know Brillion was to love her. A beautiful young soul ended needlessly. Brillion is missed more deeply than words could ever express. Brillion- you are loved more than you could ever know. Always and forever and then some. Love Mommy

– Laura, Brillion’s mom

Levi’s motto in his short life was “Go big or Go home!” and he lived a BIG life before being received home to be with Jesus. Levi was an intelligent, athletic, kind, fun, mentally well, curious, teenage boy. Within days of opening his first social media account and just hours after being friended by “a young lady” Levi was the innocent victim of a heinous crime known as financial sextortion.

Levi should still be here. His childhood was altered and ultimately ended by the prevalence of screens and the companies whose mission it is to engage the eyes of naive, innocent, trusting children at any cost for their financial gain. Tech companies must be mandated to adopt a duty of care mindset and give parents the opportunity to keep their children safe in the digital world.

Teens need a license to drive a car – a dangerous machine if not used safely. Today’s smartphone needs to be viewed in the same way. They too turn deadly without the proper safety measures in place. It is the responsibility of the creator to ensure the safety of their products. Without government oversight and integrity on the part of big tech CEO’s, parents are fighting a battle they can’t win.

The Live Like Levi Foundation was created to encourage others to live with purpose and good intent and receives donations to put towards projects that provide educational resources, strength and support.

When we know better, we must do better!

– Tricia and Mark, Levi’s parents

Jack was impossible to sum up because he was never just one thing. He was a fighter in the gym, a musician in his soul, and a thinker in every moment in between. He had a wicked sense of humor, a mind that never stopped questioning, and a heart big enough to carry the people he loved. Jack lived with great passion — he was fearless, stubborn, and full of life. And then, in an instant, he was gone. But if you knew Jack, you know he isn’t just in the past. He still exists in every story told, every song played, every fight fought, and every person who refuses to forget him.

Social media started as a way for Jack to connect with friends — just like it does for most people. Over time, it became more than that. A habit. An escape. And in the end, the vehicle that would serve as the accomplice to a sudden and fatal ending.

On September 24, 2021, Jack connected with a man on Snapchat who told him that if he had anxiety, he had Xanax that could take the edge off. Jack bought four pills. He took one when he got home.

That one pill took his life.

The autopsy revealed enough fentanyl in Jack’s system to kill four grown men. The “Xanax” he was sold was nothing but poison.

It should never be a concern — let alone a reality — that drug dealers and child traffickers can operate openly online, preying on our kids. These platforms have the power to track, flag, and shut down this kind of activity, yet it still happens every day. The fact that someone could connect with Jack so easily, with no barriers, no warnings, and no accountability, is unacceptable. Social media companies need to stop pretending they’re just platforms and start taking real responsibility for the safety of the people using them — especially children.

– Kathy and James, Jack’s parents

Our daughter Grace McComas was a wonderful human being, and she was well-loved. She was a shining light from birth, bouncing, and happy. With big blue eyes and a bubbly laugh she was a joy to be around, and this continued as she grew. Grace was an active kid, so many hours were spent on youth activities including soccer, volleyball, music lessons/rehearsals/concerts and community service in school and through our church.

Grace and her three sisters were very happy and close. She was the funny one with a great sense of humor and comic timing. She made us laugh every single day. She was often exuberant, and it was contagious. She was also kind-hearted -tender-hearted even. Too tender-hearted in a world which can be cruel.

Grace was 13 as she started high school. The picture of her that I share most often is from her first formal dance, Homecoming that fall. As I snapped the photo, I knew it was special.

Teen life was just starting for her and she was happy and ready for the challenge but it ended up being the only dance she ever went to, and she never played a sport again.

At the end of her freshman year, Grace was the victim of drug-assisted sexual assault.

Her assailant quickly turned to cyberbullying — I prefer the term “cyber abuse” — and she was subjected to hate-filled, death-wishing attacks seen by many on Twitter.

Smartphones and social media were new in 2011 and people didn’t yet know how damaging online harms could be. Like a slow-motion car crash, we witnessed her downward spiral and fought to save her, begging for assistance from schools, police, courts and other professionals to no avail.

To a young teen, it seemed insurmountable. Grace died by suicide in 2012.

Our family immediately began speaking out via Grace McComas Memorial, and continue to do so.

On a state level, we’ve glimpsed what’s possible when we choose to take child safety seriously: Maryland’s Grace’s Law now protects children from cyber-abuse. Grace’s Law 2.0 was passed in 2019 to keep up with many digital dangers, including (but not limited to) sextortion, the making of fake profiles, sharing private information, suicide baiting and so on. In 2024, Maryland also passed the MD KIDS CODE — an age-appropriate design code law that requires Big Tech companies to design their products with child safety and privacy in mind. And in 2025, Maryland passed a non-consensual AI sexual content and related harms bill.

Today we know the dangers – we understand Big Tech’s business model that seeks to keep kids engaged at all costs, valuing profits over safety. We know from whistleblowers that they still are not making appropriate movements to prevent or protect the online abuse of children.

It has now been an unbelievable (and unconscionable) 13 years since Grace died, yet still no federal action has been taken to better protect American children. Congress must #PassKOSA, the Kids Online Safety Act, now!

In addition, there are so many actions we can take in our daily lives. My goal is that people everywhere remember G.R.A.C.E. ~ Give Respect And Compassion to Everyone!

Talk openly about previously stigmatized issues such as cyberbullying, mental health, sexual harassment/assault, discrimination, domestic violence, and addiction, so that affected people feel heard/validated and seek help and healing. Make sure your child knows that things can and always will get better. Never miss a chance to hold your child close and tell them you love them.

– Christine, Grace’s mom

Simply put, Henry was the perfect son and brother. His loss has been a daily horror for me.

We found him unconscious in his bed at 6am on the morning of his 18th birthday. On his nightstand was another blue pill that he purchased with Snapchat. We understood later that this blue pill was not OxyContin, but fentanyl. He was hospitalized, and died 21 days later.

– Tom, Henry’s dad

Jack was witty, funny, wise beyond his years, caring and an extreme goofball. He was the King of “jump scares” and prided himself on pranking me and his Nana at any opportunity. He was an athlete who loved shooting hoops with his Papa and Digger and going on outdoor adventures. He was a talented artist, a car enthusiast and a loyal friend to many. He loved his family and was extremely protective of his sisters. Jack brought laughter, light and love to those of us in his life and he is missed every second of every day.

Jack started using social media at ten years of age, when he was given his first cell phone and an XBOX for Christmas. As Jack began to use social media more frequently, his demeanor changed from laidback and easygoing, to being on edge, tired and depressed. He became consumed by it. Any rules I tried to instill to limit his time on the devices escalated an already tense situation. He became manic and volatile and while counselors and doctors tried to downplay it, fear became a constant in our household.

A few months before Jack’s passing, I was able to uncover all of the social media he was using. It was devastating and shocking to find people, content and platforms on Jack’s phone that I never knew existed and had become part of his daily life.

If social media companies had real safeguards, I believe so many children—including Jack—would still be here today. We need real change.

First, support KOSA, the Kids Online Safety Act.

Second, age verification must be stricter. Kids know how to bypass it. If they create an account, a legal guardian should be required for authentication.
Third, we must shut down online drug dealers. These platforms allow their lucrative businesses to thrive, feeding dangerous content to children through algorithms.

And fourth, social media platforms need warning labels. Users should be warned about the risks of addiction, explicit content, and the harmful exposure these apps enable.

We must continue to speak out—because too many children are paying the price.

– Carrie, Jack’s mom

My son, Griffin (or Bubba as we called him), was ahead of his time. He participated in speed-cubing contests, placed 3rd in the National Science Bowl competition, played drums and saxophone, pitched no-hit innings in baseball, and attended church youth groups. Everything my Bubba did was exceptional. He spread joy to those around him in every activity he participated in. Most importantly, he touched every single person he met with his genuine kindness. He was a one in a trillion human and a blessing to our family. His potential was infinite.

Despite being a math prodigy and wicked smart for 13 years old, he accepted a dare from a classmate to try a horrible challenge called “the pass-out challenge”. One second, he and his friends found a harmful video on YouTube, the next second, he was gone from us, forever. Not a moment passes that we don’t miss him, not even for a fraction of a second. We are still grieving immensely and that will never end. I am without my only son. My daughter is without her only sibling.

Parents must know it doesn’t matter how smart your kids are, they are kids. They are more reckless while young, possessing false notions of invincibility until they are about 25, when the brain is fully developed. They will try risky challenges if it is normalized and fed to them over and over, as is a proven trend in social media algorithms. Pushing content impossible to look away from, even if it has the potential to cause harm is too common. It truly can happen to anyone, and awareness is paramount.

Griffin’s death, plus the devastating losses of the 1,300 forever grieving moms I know of in my group are just the tip of the iceberg. Parents need to be aware of all the potentially fatal pranks, dares, and challenges that litter the internet, as well as the many additional social media harms. We all wish we had known. It breaks my heart.

Sadly, it is too late for my child, but other children can be saved through education and legislation like KOSA that will finally lead to regulation of social media platforms. Our government has done this before for seatbelts, bike helmets, cigarettes, and more. It is time to hold the companies accountable who profit from circulating blatant harmful material to our children with no remorse or ownership.

– Annie, Griffin’s mom

Matthew was an active baby from the very beginning. He loved being on the move and could make anyone smile with his big dimples. Matthew was an honor roll student. He loved sports, going to church, and praying at every family gathering. He was a beautiful, well-rounded kid who would extend a hand to help anyone.

On that heartbreaking day, Matt was given permission to go upstairs and have his hour of online time before going to bed. My older son found him shortly after. He died attempting the “blackout challenge”. He was 12 years old. He would be 18 years old and graduating this year.

We thought the social media platforms our son had access to were safe because we had parental protections in place and rules for his time on them. We had no idea the extent of what these sites can do and how harmful they can be.

Educate your children about the dangers of online harms. Communicate and monitor what they’re doing. Listen to what they have to say. The protections the platforms have in place are not enough.

– Todd and Mia, Matthew’s parents

David was a son, brother, and friend who was beloved by all who knew him. His greatest joy was to make his friends laugh but he also had a more sensitive side and cared deeply for those who had been harmed or were marginalized.

Beginning at age 14, David struggled with social media and online gaming addiction, which led to severe anxiety and depression. He put so much value on his online identity, it made him feel his life was not worth living when he was tormented and threatened online for months before his death by suicide.

We need our elected officials to step in and pass meaningful legislation to protect young, innocent children from all online harms. We need to equip parents to have very difficult conversations with their children at ages we never dreamed we would need to. And we need young people to know that there is a soul behind every screen and that they never know what kind of day or battle the person on the other side of the screen is facing so they should always choose kindness.

– Maurine, David’s mom

Alexander truly embodied the Renaissance man. A list of his accomplishments is endless – accomplished physical training guru, violin and chess player, content creator, debater, orator, writer, and thinker.  He dreamed of playing basketball at the University of Southern Mississippi. Alex had amassed over 100K subscribers and over 2.2 million likes on TikTok channel. He was politically engaged, funny, and great at giving advice. His creativity permeated everything – from his clips on social media to short stories, poems and songs he wrote to the amazing dishes he cooked and shared with family and friends.

Alex was ten when YouTube found him. The screen felt endless. It learned what he liked. It always had one more thing to show.  At first it was fun. But then it began to consume him – he dreamed of making it big on social media. He began to count life in numbers. Views. Hearts. Followers. When the numbers rose, he felt taller. When they fell, he felt small.

Fame did not start inside him alone. The apps helped build it. They told him it was close. Post more. Try harder. Be bigger. The dream was not only his. It was a product they handed to him, again and again. He learned to chase it.

Sleep thinned. Mornings hurt. Some days he was lit up with hope. Other days he could not shake the gray. He deleted the apps. He reinstalled them. He made rules. He broke them. It felt like swimming in a river that changed direction. Then he made a bold plan. He would do the impossible to get noticed and explode his channels. He would make his college basketball team. He told his mom. He filmed the promise. He posted it.

On his twentieth birthday, he died. His shattered phone is a reminder. Subscribers still watch his videos and comment. Suggested videos still roll on.

This is the story of a boy named Alex. He wanted connection. He wanted a future. He wanted to be seen. Social media did not only trap him. It pushed him towards fame and kept him running. The design was the path. The path became the weight. And in the end, it was too much.

Algorithms that push that fame narrative to children are very dangerous and I would like to see accountability for social media companies that push all sorts of dangerous content on children and teens.

– Elena, Alexander’s mom

Dylan was 19 years old before he was taken from us. Dylan loved to make music by creating his own beats and expressing himself through his lyrics. Dylan loved to be light, happy and always breaking out in a goofy dance! His smile will always be remembered, as well as his big heart.

Social media affected Dylan’s mental health in a negative way. He purchased what he thought was a Percocet from Snapchat. It actually contained pure fentanyl that took his life.

I wish I knew you could purchase drugs off of Snapchat. There are so many hidden dangers online. In the future, I hope that no drugs can be sold over social media.

– Sarah, Dylan’s mom

Sophie was a beautiful, loving child who cared about everyone. She was fun and had a very funny sense of humour. We all adored her. She died by suicide at the age of 13 years old.

Social media was a disaster for Sophie. As Sophie struggled with fluctuating teenage hormones and the transition from child to adult, she started to access websites that frankly should be banned. She became depressed and we noticed a marked change in her behaviour. Her phone became a source of conflict between us, as I tried to implement boundaries and remove the phone. The happy, bubbly child became angrier and more withdrawn.

We had all the safety conversations with her, but in 2014, there was no ability to add parental controls. Even if there had been, I believe Sophie would have found a way around them.

After Sophie died, we found suicidal content on her social media feeds. We lost part of Sophie to the darkest corners of the online world.

We want all parents to understand they can’t ever fully control what their children see online. The internet is too big and everywhere. Until social media is made safer for our children, everyone’s child is at risk.

– Ruth, Sophie’s mom

Emily was the sweetest, kindest, most empathetic person. She had the most beautiful child-like innocence about her. She felt everything so strongly: love, happiness, sadness, anger. She loved animals and crafts. She loved to go for long walks through our neighborhood with her Beats headphones on. She loved our lake house in the Lake George area. That’s where she truly felt at home, in nature searching for frogs and salamanders and fishing.

Emily was not a big social media user. Unfortunately, a global pandemic forced her online to connect with others. She was isolated at home, trying to learn virtually and her primary connection to her friends became through social media, such as Instagram and Snapchat. It was on these platforms that Emily suffered some of the worst bullying of her life. No matter what I did to help her navigate these platforms, she could not outrun her bullies. As we were blocking the offenders, they would find ways around it to continue to abuse her. Eventually, it all became too much and she died by suicide January 29, 2021 at the age of 17.

Social media dehumanizes children’s interactions with each other. Emily’s bullies actually logged into her virtual funeral to continue to abuse and torture her in death. That is a whole new level of cruelty. I have been advocating for the Kids Online Safety Act for 3 years now. No child should be exposed to the things they are encountering on social media, nor should ANY child have to go through what Emmy went through. We miss our Emmy every single second of every single day, and to honor her, I will continue to fight to make social media safer for children.

– Erin, Emily’s mom

My son was a loving, funny, charismatic 17-year old. He, like many other kids his age, was searching for a way to escape the pressures of his teenage life and never realized the danger that lurked behind a simple app.

He purchased a pill on Snapchat that was advertised as Percocet, it turned out to be a fake pill containing Fentanyl. He passed away three weeks from his 18th birthday.

In the days that followed his death I was overwhelmed with grief and anger. How could something so small and seemingly innocuous take away the bright future of a young man who had so much to offer the world? I began to research the growing trend of counterfeit pills and the role social media plays in the Fentanyl crisis. What I discovered was shocking – a world where drug dealers exploit vulnerable teens and use platforms like Snapchat to peddle their deadly products.The anonymity of the app allows users to communicate without fear of being traced, and this has unfortunately created a breeding ground for illicit activities.

I would like for there to be changes to the algorithms of Snapchat and all social media apps. Social media must be held accountable for their role in the distribution of dangerous substances being sold to children on their platforms.

The pain of losing my son will never fade, I have found purpose in my grief. I am committed to ensuring that his story is not forgotten and that other families do not have to endure the same heartache. It is a long and arduous journey, but I believe through awareness and education we can save lives. #forever 17

– Lindsey, Manny’s mom

Alexander was a brilliant, sensitive, and intense 14 year old. He was always curious about the world around him and his place in it. He had the most infectious giggle. He loved his family and his pets.

The drug dealer that provided the pills that took Alex’s life connected with him via Snapchat.

This can happen in any family. The stigmas we all grew up with no longer apply. The social media companies have played all of us and continue to do so. I want them to truly make their platforms safe. They claim to support various, helpful legislation. They do not need to wait for an act of Congress to make them do the right thing. They can do it now.

– Amy, Alexander’s mom

Devin was smart, energetic, and very shy until you got to know him. He was very protective of his sister, Hayley, and his brother, Caden. He loved making music. He had a quick-witted sense of humor that brought so much laughter to our family. Everything he put his mind to he gave 1000%.

Snapchat connected Devin to people he didn’t know who were pushing drugs. The people responsible used the app to sell fake pills. Pills that contained 100% pure illicit fentanyl. Devin didn’t know, and it ultimately ended his life.

What happened to Devin could happen to anyone’s child. We would like to see reform to Section 230, along with the passing of the Kids Online Safety Act and the Cooper Davis & Devin Norring Act. Without social media reform by our government, social media companies will never change and children will continue to be hurt or killed.

– Bridgette and Thomas, Devin’s parents

Justin was a loving father, son, and brother. He was 18 years old and the father of two beautiful little girls. He loved to build legos and ride lowrider bikes. I have held on to a lot of his stuff. I want to show it to his daughters one day so they can know who their dad was and feel closer to him. We all miss him everyday.

He was offered the pill that took his life on Facebook. Social media has to be made safer for our children. They need to be protected from not just the sales of illicit drugs, but other dangers as well. The social media companies have the power to make these changes and keep our kids alive.

– Felipe and Jodi, Justin’s parents

Story read by Aaliyah Cota, Justin’s girlfriend, and their daughters

My beautiful boy, my firstborn son Max, was a vibrant, loving, and kind 18-year-old. He excelled both academically and athletically, maintaining a 4.0 GPA while playing varsity level lacrosse, football, and wrestling throughout high school. Max was the heart of every room he entered. He was unstoppable, achieving anything he set his mind to. Max is loved deeply and missed terribly.

Max’s addiction to social media presented itself quickly, The streaks, constant connection, and instant gratification all fueled this addiction. Tragically, the ability to purchase illegal substances through social media—specifically Snapchat—ultimately claimed Max’s life at just 18 years old.

I recognized the decline in Max’s mental health when he began using social media. But like any addiction, it became nearly impossible to keep him away from it. He felt isolated and disconnected without it. To protect children from the dangers of online harms, we need critical changes, including age verification requirements, effective parental controls, algorithms designed with safety as a priority, and accountability for violations.

– Kimberly, Max’s mom

Zach was a kind, strong and handsome young man – he was beautiful from the inside out. Behind all the muscles and tattoos was the sweetest kid you’d ever meet. Zach was a shining light and he could turn someone’s bad day around with his big bright smile and contagious laugh. He loved spending time with our three dogs, playing the guitar, working out, playing football and being with his family. He was immensely proud of and looked up to his older siblings – CJ, Lexy and Joey.

Zach had so many dreams, so many plans for the future. I know he would have made those dreams come true. We miss his smile, his laugh. His goodnights and good mornings. We miss his calm, sweet voice. Your dogs miss you. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t whisper his name to myself and I look forward to seeing him again, when the time comes.

Social media affected Zach’s self-esteem and mental health. He had his ups and downs with anxiety and depression after spending time on the platforms. I wish I’d known more about social media, especially Snapchat. I knew nothing about disappearing messages and how easy it was for kids to purchase a drug from a dealer online. Zachary made a poor decision to try a Percocet, but it should not have cost him his life. Now Snapchat is refusing to release any information on the dealer who sold it to him – it’s a disgrace. We need to hold the social media companies accountable – they should be protecting our children, not the dealers. We need the Kids Online Safety Act to pass so no other parents have to go through the hell we are living through.

– Andrea, Zach’s mom

Alex had a keen intellect, mischievous humor, radiant spirit and a loving heart. He was active in theater, band, his church youth group and Boy Scouts. He was an honor roll student and had no history of mental health issues. He and his older brother are the light in my life.

Alex had several social media accounts on platforms including Facebook, Instagram and Reddit.  I followed his Facebook and Instagram accounts, but unknown to me, he created a private Instagram account that he only accessed on his smartphone.  We talked about the “edgy” posts on Reddit that he would see-I thought I had balanced his freedom to explore with guidance from me, but I was wrong.

In October 2017, Alex’s romantic relationship ended.  He went online looking for support but instead was harassed by users on one platform and pummeled with posts that promoted suicide and claimed he’d never find love again. After three days of this agony, he died by suicide.  Although I thought we had open conversations about his online activities, he did not tell us about his negative online experiences in person—he told us about them in his suicide note.

My husband and I thought we did everything right. We knew Alex was upset about the break-up, but we never thought his online activities would influence him to take his life. It happened to our family, it can happen to yours.  Parents cannot fight Big Tech alone. It is time for local, state and federal governments to pass legislation to protect our children online.

– Sharon, Alex’s mom

Morgan was smart, funny, compassionate and charismatic. She had an energy that was magnetic. She truly loved all creatures great and small, especially pigs! A beautiful human inside and out. Morgan’s friend described her best, “Morgan lived life out loud.”

Morgan became addicted to social media and found the darkness of it. I had no idea how bad it had gotten until after her death. She created alias accounts, her sleep hygiene suffered, and Morgan developed social anxiety, depression, and self-harm. Shedied by suicide on June 25, 2015.

I want people to understand the addictive nature of social media. Platforms knowingly designed algorithms and features that lead to addiction and mental health issues, all for profit. Social media has become the barometer of how our kids measure their self-worth. I would like to see warnings about the harms of social media be required and platforms held accountable.

– Kris and Dan, Morgan’s parents

Avery was a kind, charismatic soul who lifted others when they were down. He dreamed of studying brain chemistry and becoming a psychiatrist—driven by the same compassion that made him stand up for friends in need.

In December 2024, while visiting his mom for Christmas, Avery connected with a drug dealer on Snapchat within 24 hours of arriving from out of state. What I didn’t know, what I think very few parents know, is that Snapchat is commonly used by teens to connect with drug dealers. I had only allowed Avery to download it after he turned 15. I feared him encountering sexual predators and checked in with him occasionally. I never imagined that Snapchat had been served warrants for this same dealer’s records two months earlier. Despite knowing about this predator targeting young people, Snapchat failed to respond to initial law enforcement requests and never removed the account. The adult dealer remained active, advertising drug menus to hundreds of middle school and high school children.

Avery’s death wasn’t just a tragedy—it was preventable. Snapchat chose profits over protection, providing children a platform to circumvent parental oversight through disappearing messages, while collecting over 40% of their ad revenue from users who are minors.

My son wanted to heal minds and help others. Instead, he became another victim of tech companies that will sacrifice our children’s lives for their bottom line.

I died with him. I miss you so much, Avery.

– Aaron, Avery’s dad

My son Zachariah was a fun-loving teenager that had his whole life ahead of him. He purchased a pill off Snapchat and died from Fentanyl poisoning. He loved chatting with his friends. Unfortunately, he connected with the wrong person who sold him a fake pill that killed him.

This has been heartbreaking for our family and friends. I would love to see more protection for children and more control for parents over what our kids see and who they’re talking to on these platforms.

– Wendy, Zachariah’s mom

Nayelie was a loving, intelligent, and reserved person who deeply impacted those around her. She embodied unconditional love, compassion, and forgiveness, always putting others first. She was artistic, joyful, family-oriented, and a lover of thrift shopping and collecting memories. A Starbucks enthusiast, she was also a wonderful big sister and, above all, the best daughter her parents could have asked for.

Social media negatively impacted my daughter by promoting unrealistic body images and lifestyles. It also exposed her to dangerous online predators.

In today’s digital age, social media has become a significant part of our lives. But when it comes to children, we must ensure that these platforms are safe and supportive environments. Children need a safe space where they can develop positively, connect with others, and express themselves without the risk of harm or exploitation.

It’s crucial for social media platforms to prioritize privacy, mental health, and age-appropriate content. By creating safer digital spaces, we empower children to thrive and grow in a healthy online world. Parents, educators, and tech companies must work together to create these safe zones, where kids can be creative, learn, and build friendships without exposure to harmful influences.

Let’s advocate for a digital future where children are protected, nurtured, and able to develop into their best selves.

– Jessica & Michael, Nayelie’s parents

Englyn Maydisyn Roberts was a vibrant teenage girl. She was the baby of the family, at only 14 years of age when she died by suicide in September of 2020. She was the epitome of love with a genuine caring spirit. Englyn loved music and dance and was into the latest fashion. She loved to travel but also enjoyed spending time with family during cookouts.

After going back to Englyn’s phone, we began scouring her social media accounts for answers and found massive amounts of self-harm-themed content and pages, postings by her and her friends, and even message threads where Englyn and her friend would share dark videos and pages Instagram presented them—including one in September 2019 depicting a woman choking herself with an extension cord. We now know Englyn was fed self-harm content by the platform’s algorithms – the deeper she fell, the darker it got.

We are advocating for a safer online space for kids. We want better safeguards in place so no other parent experiences this silent killer. We want people to know that children deserve better experiences when they venture online. We would like to see a “button” on these platforms that would send an alert to the Big Tech Companies when children receive inappropriate content or self-harm videos – similar to the “Like Button”. We also believe that there should be warning labels when children first get on these platforms. We know that lawmakers can do something to help fix this issue. What are they waiting for?

– Brandy and Toney, Englyn’s parents

My son, Erik was a healthy sixth grader – an “A” student, avid baseball player and boy scout, with great friends – in short, he was fully, happily and actively engaged in life. Erik’s dream was to go to West Point, enter the military and then law enforcement.

Erik died on April 21, 2010 from the “Choking or Blackout Challenge.” Back in 2010, we had no idea that social media targeted kids with these “games” via their persuasive design and algorithms. I only discovered this in 2021 when whistleblowers spoke up.

In 2012, we established a non-profit called Erik’s Cause and created a free, educational training module that is fully scripted and designed to be taught by teachers to kids in schools with the goal of helping kids to better understand how their brain develops We’ve continued to update the module as we’ve learned more about Big Tech’s intentional design, and “Navigating Social Media Challenges” has been well-received by students without causing curiosity to try.

I publicly share my experience to spark parental awareness in the hopes that this will not happen to their kids. In addition to effective legislation that would regulate social media use and content for kids, I would like to see effective digital safety legislation mandated in each state, much along the line of Mason’s Education Act which was enacted in 2024 in Indiana and has specific digital safety requirements that all Indiana schools must follow, effective the 2025-2026 school year.

Erik’s dream was to be a soldier – he wanted to save lives both through the military and community service. My mission is to honor his legacy by saving the lives of other kids and sparing families from this type of blindsiding loss.

– Judy, Erik’s mom

Selena was such a free spirit, yet an old soul at the same time. She absolutely loved to dance, was the sunshine of every room and the loudest voice in the neighborhood! And even though we live in New England, 90% of the time she would be barefoot!

Selena took her own life in July 2021, at 11 years old because of her addiction to social media.

As most of us parents who have lost a child to social media say, even if we save one child our job is complete. None of us chose to be on this journey, but we’re here and we are doing what we need to do to help save children’s lives. I would love to see many more protections be put in place on the platforms so that kids cannot so easily get around them.

– Tammy, Selena’s mom

Richard was an “Old Soul”. He was the one all his classmates would come to for advice or help. He was an athlete who loved basketball and ran cross country, lettering in both sports. He also was a Jr. Black Belt in Taekwondo. Richard was a talented musician who could read and write music and was a natural on the alto saxophone. He also loved politics and believed with the right leadership he and others could make a difference. Richard was a young father who loved every minute of being a girl dad. My son would have given the shirt off his back if he thought someone else needed it and the world lost a great person when he was stolen away from our family by illicit fentanyl at the tender age of 18.

Because of SnapChat my son was able to go online and procure illegal and illicit drugs that took his life in the bathroom of our family home.

Every fentanyl related death is a tragedy that could have been prevented through awareness, education and action. Had someone been out there talking and educating on the dangers of pressed pills and illicit fentanyl, maybe my child would be alive today. There needs to be laws protecting our children from online drug dealers and predators.

– Amber, Richard’s mom

Fernando was very smart. He loved to read and write and had a gift with words. He loved music and rapping. He was funny and liked to make people laugh.

Fernando bought what he thought was Xanax off of Snapchat. The pills were fake and contained a fatal dose of Fentanyl.

Snapchat needs to do better at stopping drug sales on their platform, including sharing ad to educate users about fentanyl.

– Lisa, Fernando’s mom

Becca was a beautiful, funny, caring person with a smile that melted my heart. She loved summer camp, gymnastics, guitar, and being around friends and family. She was also an avid reader until she got her first smartphone at 13. Becca was very excited to attend the University of Richmond in the fall of 2020 but she never made it there.

At 15, Becca was sexually assaulted by an 18-year-old boy she and her friends met through social media. A devastating cyberbullying incident followed the assault. Becca was left with an emptiness inside her that she struggled to fill. She soon discovered that self-medicating could provide her temporary relief from the pain and emptiness. And, as it turned out, social media provided frictionless access to any illicit substances she wanted.

Similar experiences as my daughter’s – unwanted advances, cyberbullying, easy access to drugs – as well as many other harms, including dangerous online challenges, sextortion, stolen attention, and online addiction, are faced by millions of kids daily. Social media addicts are young users at pivotal stages of their mental development. What’s worse is this is all by design. Mark Zuckerberg and his cohort know they are harming our kids, and they allow the harm to continue.

Congress must pass legislation requiring big tech to be held to the same duty of care not to harm their users as every other industry.

– Deb, Becca’s mom

Annalee was a radiant soul, a cowgirl with a heart as wild and free as the horses she loved. From the time she could walk, the barn was her sanctuary. She had a magic touch with animals, a bond built on trust, love, and a deep understanding of their needs. Riding in the arena, her horses – Rock Star, Roxy and Flirty – were more than just companions, they were extensions of her spirit.

As a family, we traveled across the country, competing in rodeos and making memories that I thought would last a lifetime. My greatest joy was watching Annalee in the arena—tiny at just 5 feet tall, yet when she climbed onto her horses, she became larger than life. She was a beautiful rider, fearless, and full of passion. Just three months before she left us, Annalee was offered a college rodeo scholarship. She seemed to be soaring, overflowing with excitement for the future that lay ahead.

But on November 15, 2020, at just 18 years old, Annalee died by suicide.

What we uncovered on her social media in the painful months after her death was something that shook us to our core. We found a world of darkness she never sought but was relentlessly pushed toward her. Algorithms detected her moments of vulnerability and targeted her with an endless stream of despair—anxiety, depression, and pro-suicide content. These platforms have evolved so much that Annalee compared herself, not only with other girls, but computer-sculptured images of girls. Algorithms seemed to super-charge her experience, pulling her further into a war with her mental health.

Through her journals, we discovered how deeply these unregulated platforms had manipulated her sense of self-worth. As parents, we did everything we knew to protect her but we never stood a chance against the addictive, profit-driven designs of these platforms. TikTok even showed her a live suicide on her “For You” feed.

These aggressive algorithms stole our Annalee away from us. They pulled her into a false reality, convincing her she wasn’t beautiful, that she wasn’t enough. They whispered to her that she had no future, no way out. And in the end, they led her to believe that ending her life was the only way to escape the pain they had relentlessly fed her.

We lost our Annalee to a system designed to exploit the most vulnerable—for engagement, for profit, for power. I will never stop fighting for social media accountability and reform.

– Lori, Analee’s mom

My son was an illuminator who lit up any room he entered. Jack was very tall and handsome and had his whole life in front of him. He enjoyed video games and building his own PCs. He was very smart. He was my everything – my golden child. He is sorely missed by his family, including his sisters and his only brother. We are all devastated by his loss and not a day goes by that we don’t think about him and wish she was with us.

My son lost his life at 16 years old to the choking challenge – a social media challenge that started on the app iFunny and continued to Snapchat. He died alone in his room with no one there to help him escape the challenge he chose to participate in. This application should not have been available for my son as it is supposed to be for over 18 years old and there was no age verification.

I would like to see age verification on all of the phone apps. I would also like to see a phone designed only for 18 and under with age verification. I would like to have a rating system for apps that need to be accredited similar to how movies get rated so that children aren’t put in harms way because of social media apps that are not appropriate for their age and are dangerous and deadly.

– Michelle, Jack’s mom

Frog  was a nature loving, creative, artistic, compassionate soul who loved the outdoors and their animals. Their dream to live on a farm came true when they were 12 years old – they raised alpacas, goats, pigs, chickens, ducks, and turkeys. Frog had several house pets too; cats, dogs, a lizard, several fish, and a hamster. They enjoyed camping trips with their family every summer and exploring new places in Maine. Arts and crafts came easy for Frog, they could paint a beautiful painting with ease, sew just about anything, make stunning sun catchers from beads, and hand make a unique gift for any occasion. Frog was the oldest child with two younger sisters who looked up to them. Their partner Finn was their anchor and light in their life. Frog was looking forward to going to college in the fall and studying marine biology.

Social media striped away their joy in life. It consumed them to the point where they would walk around like a zombie staring at their phone everywhere they went. They lost their love for the outdoors, their farm animals, and spending time with family. They started secluding themselves in their rooms and went to dark places on social media due to the algorithm they were fed. I saw their joy, their spirit disappear. Social media took Frog’s happiness and robbed them of their future.

Please hold off on letting your child have access to social media as long as you can. Help make this world a safer place by advocating for control with social media. Stop these companies from profiting off our child. These companies need to do their jobs and not allow kids under age to download these apps. I would do anything to just save one life and will never stop fighting.

– Amy, Frog’s mom

Paris was vibrant, genuine, adventurous, and unforgettable. She had a huge smile that could light up any room. She loved animals, experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen and designing clothes and jewelry. Paris had this beautiful gift of giving genuine compliments to everyone she met and her generosity and kindness was known to everyone she met.

One memory that captures her generous spirit was when she was 11 years old. During her winter break, she used $50 of her own Christmas money at a local bakery, determined to use it to bring joy and food to the unsheltered people in the neighborhood. The bakery staff, touched by her mission, matched her contribution. Together, we went tent-to-tent in the cold, handing out pastries, and Paris’s warmth and charisma brought smiles to everyone’s faces. That’s who she was—someone who thought of others first. She loved fiercely and was loved fiercely in return. And though she lived just 4,955 days, she filled them with more light, love, and laughter than some people do in a lifetime.

Looking back, I can see her addiction to social media so clearly. Paris stayed up too late on her phone, bypassed the limits I set for her, and got in trouble at school for using her phone. She created multiple social media accounts behind my back. What I thought were emotional outbursts of a typical teen were actually withdrawal symptoms from being cut off from that constant stimulation.

The more time she spent online, the more her mental health declined. She became increasingly depressed, anxious, and consumed by body image concerns. Paris was also being exposed to a drug culture. The combination of social media addiction, bullying, mental health struggles, and exposure to drugs created battles far bigger than any child should have to face. In the end, those battles became too heavy and at just 13 years old, Paris took her own life.

I want parents to know that I believed I was doing everything right. I talked to Paris about the dangers of social media,  set time limits on her phone and put her in counseling. I thought I was doing right by letting her have access to certain social media platforms, believing it was a way for her to have healthy communication and connection with her friends.

Her death has caused unimaginable and indescribable pain for our family and her close friends. It has changed us in ways we never imagined, shaping us into different people forever.

I want real, meaningful change—not just words or empty promises. I want social media companies to start taking responsibility for the impact their platforms have on kids. I want lawmakers, schools, doctors, and mental health professionals to be involved in this conversation—because the safety of our children is bigger than any one family. We cannot leave it up to parents alone to fight against billion-dollar systems designed to capture kids’ attention at all costs.

Paris’s story is a reminder that the cost of inaction is too high. Her life mattered. Her story matters. And if telling it helps protect another child, then her light will continue to shine forever.

– Krista, Paris’ mom

Noah was known to many as the star baseball pitcher. But more than that – he was a warm smile, a loyal friend and a compassionate brother. Noah was all passion, heart and kindness and he just had a way of making an impact on others’ lives. Noah loved so many things – baseball, animals, music, nature, and his family. He had a special interest in technology and computers throughout his life and was working in tech while completing his Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology. He also completed the Teen Challenge program, which allowed him to share his faith with others and help those who were struggling with substance abuse.

Noah joined social media to communicate with friends, but eventually found Snapchat which presented a quick, secretive way to obtain illegal drugs. He took half a pill that contained a fatal dose of fentanyl, which resulted in his death. Snapchat holds no accountability for the consequences of their platform, including Noah’s death and those of so many of our youth.

The impact of the death of a young man on his family and friends cannot be measured. This experience has changed our family forever. Noah is missing so many things – he will never get married, have children or see his parents grow old.

I feel that Snapchat should be shut down. It is too secretive. Messages disappear within minutes. People use social media to commit crimes and specifically target vulnerable individuals. There should be more safeguards and protections against this type of behavior.

I never want another family to endure what our family has.

– Michelle and Don, Noah’s Parents

Jools Sweeney was a remarkably kind and friendly child. Although his life was far too short, he left a lasting impression on everyone who knew him—and even on those who didn’t. He was widely recognized for his kindness, excellent manners, and sense of humor. Jools had a huge heart and could always make people laugh with his quick wit and playful spirit. His warmth and ability to connect with others made him popular among friends, family, and anyone fortunate enough to meet him.

From a young age, Jools had an energy that made him stand out. He loved gaming, especially Fortnite and Minecraft, where he could connect with friends and immerse himself in the excitement of virtual worlds. However, his interests extended far beyond the screen.

At just nine years old, Jools achieved his black belt in kung fu—a testament to his discipline, determination, and strength.

On April 13, 2022, at just 14 years old, Jools Sweeney took his own life. His passing was a devastating shock. As an only child, Jools increasingly spent time on social media since lockdown, and I believe that this contributed to his tragic decision.

His sudden death has left us seeking answers. Social media companies will not provide us with access to his browsing data and messages. Jools’ social media accounts could provide vital insights into his actions.

As Jools’ Mum, I have dedicated myself to ensuring that other parents are not left searching desperately for answers. I have fought tirelessly for Jools’ Law, a proposed change in UK legislation that would grant parents the right to access their deceased child’s social media, providing vital insights into why a child may have taken their own life. Jools’ Law was discussed in Parliament on January 13, 2025, and we are awaiting a meeting with the Minister.

Though Jools is no longer physically here, his spirit lives on in the love of those who remember him and the changes that are hopefully being made in his name.

– Ellen and Matt, Jools’ parents

Kaylie was 17 years old and on track to graduate high school early so she could go to Penn State and become a lawyer. She loved animals and loved to paint. Her laugh was contagious and her sense of humor was even better. She was so smart and always gave the best advice. Her friends always say what an amazing friend she was. Most importantly, she was an amazing daughter and sister. She is missed more with everyday that goes by without her here with us.

Kaylie purchased what she thought was a Percocet off of Snapchat. It contained a fatal dose of fentanyl.

Our children don’t need to know drug dealers. With social media platforms like Snapchat, drug dealers have direct access to our children. My hope is that social media platforms become a safer place for children, unlike they are today.

– Misty, Kaylie’s mom

Emily was the most caring and funny person I knew. She loved cooking, going to the beach and her kitty cats. She was really interested in going into nursing after graduation. I miss her laugh the most and am so thankful for all the recordings I have of her.

Emily used Snapchat to obtain what she thought was a Percocet but it contained a fatal dose of fentanyl.

I want people to understand the addictive nature of social media. Platforms knowingly design algorithms and features that lead to addiction and mental health issues, all for profit. Social media has become the barometer of how our kids measure their self-worth. I would like to see warnings about the harms of social media be required and for platforms to be held accountable.

– Maggie, Emily’s mom

Haley was a beautiful and complicated young woman. She was a talented artist and designed her own tattoos. She loved music, the beach, poetry, animals, math, books, makeup, the outdoors, her family, and her friends. Haley was my complete opposite. Where I was afraid, she was fearless.

One of her favorite places to spend time as a child was at my grandmother’s farm. You could catch her riding horses, milking a goat, collecting chicken eggs, tending her garden or happily holding a garter snake she found. Haley had a feisty spirit and a beautiful soul. She could light up a room with her beautiful smile and echoing laughter. She was deeply loved by her family and all that knew her.

I lost my daughter, Haley, on September 30, 2020 to suicide. Really, I lost her years before to social media. As she became more entrenched in social media, I watched my beautiful, confident, active daughter slip away. She became depressed and anxious. She began to believe she was ugly, fat, stupid and unloved. She gave up all sports and extracurriculars and started self-harming because of the content she was shown on social media. In the beginning, I thought maybe it was just teenage angst until I learned about her self-harm and suicide attempt. That was the first time I put her in a hospital. I was scared, confused and desperate to help her. I questioned what went wrong. Was it something I did? I’m her mom so it is ultimately my responsibility, I thought. I didn’t realize what really happened until she was gone. It finally made sense but it was too late.

I knew social media could make someone feel bad about themselves, but I had no idea how damaging the algorithms really are. Social media destroyed her self-confidence and has forever changed her loved ones’ lives. Haley was 19 years old. She had just gotten her first car, was working and just started college. I can never put into words the love I have for Haley and how much she loved me and her sister, Vivian. We will never get over the loss of Haley.

I honestly don’t believe children should be on social media at all. I’m not sure anyone should.

– Hillary, Haley’s mom

Maia was an A-grade student who had the world at her feet. She loved music and was learning to play the electric guitar. Maia was blossoming into a beautiful young woman and was a joy to be around. She liked to wave good morning to her teachers each morning as she rode her bike to school. At her eulogy, her headmaster said, “Maia was great at debate and could articulate her point perfectly. She could have had a promising career in politics or journalism.”

Maia had a wonderful and positive imagination and started making videos on TikTok. She was so funny and engaging – until her life was sucked from her by TikTok.

Maia died copying a Tik Tok challenge in the UK. She became hooked on the app during the pandemic and was constantly glued to the screen. We are one of four families from the UK that are suing TikTok for harm done to our children. My message to other parents is to not trust these platforms to keep your child safe.

– Liam and Ewelina, Maia’s parents

Tallie was my dream my whole adult life. I was 40 when I gave birth and she was all I ever dreamed of. She was so full of life and always so kind – even when she was hurting. She was kind, funny, smart, beautiful and had a curiosity for life that matched few. She loved her friends and shared everything she had with anyone who needed it, even when it meant she got less. She seemed to bring home every troubled kid she found and was the kind of friend to them that she always wanted for herself. She loved cosplay, riding the golf cart, camping, bike riding, go karts, putt putt golf, swimming, water parks, zip lining, archery, walks, riding with me on my Harley, her animals…..anything adventurous! My whole world revolved around her and she taught me to be a better person!

Tallie made many TikTok videos about her love of cosplay. The videos she was shown in return drew her to the dark side of the internet. She began posting on Snapchat and TikTok to accounts I didn’t know she had about her bullies, the people who made her want to kill herself and how much she was hurting. I found messages from the people who bullied her on Facebook Messenger. When I took them to the police, they just told me to keep her off social media.

My message to other parents who are going through something similar  is to never ever quit digging – even when you think you’ve done it all. I found more and more things after she was gone. Watch every single video or platform they are on. Evil is all over and so much easier behind a screen!

– Lori, Tallie’s mom

My beautiful daughter, Jewels Marie Wolf was just as beautiful on the outside as she was on the inside. She was a radiant and vibrant child who loved life, her family, friends, and animals. She was absolutely the best daughter, baby sister, granddaughter, niece, and friend. She made everyone feel seen, heard, and validated. To know Jewels is to know love!

Her life was cut short when a 20-year-old man who she met on social media preyed upon her. He provided my daughter with a Percocet that contained a lethal dose of fentanyl and left her for dead after taking advantage of her. My son found her – his baby sister and best friend. Our lives have been forever changed. I am now living a life torn in two – a child in heaven and a child on earth.

I want people to know that social media is a perfect breeding ground for predators and drug peddlers who specifically are targeting our youth. We cannot sit back and do nothing. I am blessed to be surrounded by people who are advocating and fighting diligently to help better protect our youth, families, and communities

– Gina Leah, Jewels’ mom

Allison was 16 years old with a heart of gold. She was an old soul with so much love and kindness for every person she came across. She loved music, animals and fashion. Her very presence would light up the darkest nights; her laughter and smile could cure the most depressed person. She was my best friend and she taught me true unconditional love.

My child would still be alive today had Snapchat not allowed drug dealers to find her on their platform. One pill laced with a fatal dose of fentanyl took my best friend and only child from me.

No matter how closely you monitor your child or the safeguards you put in place, as long as these sites are left unchecked, there will be predators preying upon our innocent children. The platforms are getting richer while our children are being harmed. I would like to see the platforms and our lawmakers held accountable for keeping our children safe.

– Jeremiah, Allison’s dad