Coalition To Empower Our Future Releases New Ads Featuring Parents: Ericka And Ann

Spots Highlight the Value of New Online Protections as Part of a Comprehensive Approach to Youth Mental Health

For Immediate Release:
September 14, 2026
Contact: [email protected]

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Coalition to Empower our Future (CEF), a growing partnership focused on understanding the complexity of factors and solutions surrounding youth mental wellbeing, today launched two new ads, “Ericka” and “Ann,” highlighting the value of new online protections for youth and tools to empower parents.

The spots feature Ericka Kerns and Ann Fox, mothers from Virginia. Each highlights their support for new online safeguards for young people advanced as a result of the agreement between the states and Meta including stronger age verification, screentime limits, restrictions during school and tools to empower parents. 

“Parents have been asking for practical tools such as those the states and Meta are advancing,” said Glen Weiner, executive director of CEF. “This represents a real turning point for youth mental health. Now we must build on the momentum and welcome other companies to adopt similar measures to help ensure kids are protected on all of the platforms where they spend time as part of a comprehensive approach to youth mental health.”

Learn more about the importance of comprehensive solutions to support youth wellbeing by visiting: empowerourfuturecoalition.com/solutions.

Watch “Ericka” here and watch “Ann” here.

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Ericka Script

As the mother of a teenager, youth mental health is personal.

The landmark agreement between the states and Meta is a turning point…

Stronger age verification, screen-time limits, fewer distractions during school and night, and new digital tools to empower parents. 

Now it’s time for other social media platforms to join.

It’s all part of a comprehensive approach to youth wellbeing that parents have been asking for.

Working together, we can protect our kids. 

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Ann Script

As a mom of four, I’m glad that the states and Meta are working to improve youth mental health.

Stronger age verification, screen-time limits and tools to empower parents will make a big difference.

Every parent knows youth mental health is complicated.

This agreement is part of the comprehensive approach parents have been asking for.

And we need every other social media platform to do the same.

Working together, we can protect our kids.

About the Coalition to Empower our Future

Coalition to Empower our Future is a newly formed organization bringing together a range of voices to fully inform solutions that empower youth, parents, communities, and society. The Coalition to Empower our Future supports solutions that are inclusive of the full spectrum of factors impacting youth mental health. Former Montana Governor Steve Bullock, former U.S. Representative Carlos Curbelo, and Dr. Caroline Carney, a board-certified psychiatrist and internist, serve on the board of directors of the Coalition to Empower our Future.

To learn more, visit empowerourfuturecoalition.com or follow Coalition to Empower our Future on Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.

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