How 13 Became the Internet’s Age of Adulthood

The inside story of COPPA, a law from the early days of e-commerce that is shaping a generation and creating a parental minefield.

“When we talk about teens in the early stages of adolescence, we’re talking about a brain that’s under construction,” said David Anderson, a child psychologist and senior director at the Child Mind Institute. “It’s not so much about how they’ll behave online, but whether they are ready for what they’re going to encounter. Social media opens up a very adult world.”