Colorado

Limited Action

Colorado at a glance

Colorado has a reasonable childhood independence law.
Colorado requires school districts to adopt phone policies, but does not mandate bell-to-bell restrictions.
Colorado’s governor has consistently opposed and vetoed social media protections for children.
Colorado has not enacted any significant social media age restrictions.
Colorado has not yet passed any major laws that regulate harmful tech or hold companies liable.

Areas of Opportunity

Expanding the statewide phone policy to require bell-to-bell restrictions will bring focused learning and real connection back to all Colorado schools.
Setting a social media age minimum of 16 with no parental consent loophole will solve the collective action problem for Colorado families.
Enacting laws that address harmful social media design and AI safety will protect Colorado's kids from manipulative technology.

These opportunities are within reach for your home state. Download our policy menu, reach out to us, and reclaim childhood in Colorado.

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Dive Deeper

Childhood Development Policies

Is the state helping to solve the collective action problems families face by adopting policies that support a healthier real-world childhood?

Distraction-Free Schools
Colorado requires school districts to regulate student phone use, but does not mandate a bell-to-bell policy. View the state’s Phone-Free Schools Report Card.
Childhood Independence
Colorado passed a reasonable childhood independence law unanimously in 2022. The law clearly outlines that children can be independent outdoors, in homes, and in other locations without parents having to fear unfair charges of neglect.

Political Leadership

Is the governor championing kids' safety, and is the Office of the Attorney General using its power to hold big tech accountable?

Governor Leadership
Colorado Governor Polis has consistently opposed and vetoed social media protections for children.
Attorney General Leadership
Attorney General Phil Weiser has been active on tech accountability, joining the multistate lawsuit against Meta and calling for action on kids’ online safety by signing the AI Child Safety Letter, AI Chatbot Safety Letter, xAI Grok Letter, and the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) Letter.

Tech Policies

What is the state doing to address harmful tech and hold companies accountable?

Social Media Age Limits
Colorado has not enacted any significant social media age restrictions.
Regulating Harmful Design
Colorado has not yet enacted any significant laws in this area.
Holding Tech Companies Accountable
Colorado has not yet enacted any significant laws in this area.
Incentivizing Safer Tech
Colorado has not yet enacted any significant laws in this area.

Family Perceptions

What do parents in the state say about their children's tech use, opportunities for independence, and real-life interactions?

IFS Resilient Childhood Score
Medium. Colorado parents report that their kids experience:
- Moderate levels of independent, unsupervised activity
- Moderate time spent playing outside and socializing with friends
- Moderate screen time and tech use

This page was last updated on March 4, 2026. The Childhood Index highlights key policies and actions and is not intended to be a comprehensive list. If there’s something you think we missed or should consider, we welcome your feedback.