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The digital realm, designed to connect and empower, has become dangerous for our children. 80% of children in 25 countries report feeling in danger of sexual abuse or exploitation online. (United Nations). Bark processed 7.9 billion online activities in 2024 and found that 63% of tweens and 77% of teens encountered potentially harmful sexual content. We stand at a crossroads: either we shield our youth from the digital predators and harmful content that prey on their innocence, or we surrender them to a future where their very tools become their tormentors. Current age verification methods, reliant on app or website-level checks, are woefully inadequate. They are easily bypassed, leaving children exposed to predators and harmful content. This vulnerability necessitates a paradigm shift. Device-based age verification, as proposed in Illinois’ HB3304(Gong-Gershowitz)/SB2047 (Preston) offers a robust solution. This measure mandates age verification at the device level, effectively restricting access to inappropriate content while preserving user privacy. The time to act is now.