Published June 27, 2025
Adults in America accept limits every day on their access to certain products or activities for the sake of protecting children. They must verify their age to purchase alcohol or tobacco. They must go through a process of proving their identity and meeting certain licensing requirements in order to own and operate a firearm or drive a car.
Balancing adults’ rights and the government’s compelling interest in protecting children from harm means that as adults we live with certain trade-offs, especially in areas where it is critical to restrict children from accessing certain substances or technologies that are too powerful for their developing brains and bodies.
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Clare Morell is a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, where she directs EPPC’s Technology and Human Flourishing Project. Prior to joining EPPC, Ms. Morell worked in both the White House Counsel’s Office and the Department of Justice, as well as in the private and non-profit sectors.
