Missouri lawmakers eye age verification measures for minors using social media, chatbots

By: Steph Quinn

Outlets: Missouri Independent

Published: March 24, 2026

Words: 1,018

Last Updated: 4 months, 1 week ago

For Quinton Hayes Jr. and his classmates, social media “is where a lot of our lives happen.”

The 12-year-old middle school student from Bloomington said that includes having fun, talking with friends — and bullying.

“It follows you home,” he said, “onto your phone, into your head.”

Hayes described how his friend was affected when classmates shared his private pictures on social media platforms.

“When things happen like that, it can really hurt your …

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