Nebraska

Rising Star

Nebraska at a glance

Nebraska mandates bell-to-bell phone-free schools, ensuring their students can learn and connect with each other without distractions.
Their Age-Appropriate Online Design Code Act requires strict privacy settings by default and limits what platforms can do with kids’ personal data.
Governor Jim Pillen and Attorney General Mike Hilgers are vocal advocates for kids’ online safety and are actively holding tech companies accountable.
The Parental Rights in Social Media Act requires age verification and parental consent, but it doesn’t set minimum age for social media accounts.
Nebraska does not yet have a reasonable childhood independence law.

Areas of Opportunity

Requiring inaccessible storage will strengthen Nebraska’s phone-free schools law.
Passing Nebraska’s pending reasonable childhood independence legislation will protect families from unfair charges of neglect.
Setting a social media age minimum of 16 with no parental consent loophole will solve the collective action problem for Nebraska families.
Updating policies to include AI safety standards will ensure kids are better protected online.

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

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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
Nebraska mandates bell-to-bell phone-free schools, though it does not require inaccessible storage. View the state’s Phone-Free Schools Report Card.
Childhood Independence
Nebraska does not yet have a reasonable childhood independence law, leaving too much discretion to the authorities and putting parents at risk of unfair neglect charges.
While legislative efforts like LB 462 have been introduced to clarify that independent play is not neglect, these protections are not yet codified into law.

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
Governor Jim Pillen has signed multiple laws aimed at rolling back the phone-based childhood and protecting kids online, remarking that “The research is clear about the detriments from overexposure to social media and the way Big Tech works to keep kids online and coming back for more.”
Attorney General Leadership
Attorney General Mike Hilgers is a vocal advocate for kids’ online safety. Under his leadership, Nebraska has filed a lawsuit against TikTok, joined the Meta lawsuit, and signed the AI Child Safety Letter.

Tech Policies

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

Social Media Age Limits
Nebraska’s Parental Rights in Social Media Act requires platforms to verify a user’s age and obtain parental consent for anyone under 18. It also requires platforms to provide parents with methods to monitor their child’s account, manage privacy settings, and set time limits.
The law doesn't set a minimum age for social media accounts, leaving the collective action problem for families unresolved.
Harmful Design Regulation
Nebraska’s Age-Appropriate Online Design Code Act requires apps to set the highest privacy and safety features for anyone under 18 by default. The law also restricts the collection, sharing, and sale of a minor’s personal data.
Tech Accountability
Nebraska has not yet enacted any significant laws in this area.
Incentivizing Safer Tech
Nebraska 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
High. Nebraska parents report that their kids experience:
- High levels of independent, unsupervised activity
- Ample time spent playing outside and socializing with friends
- Relatively low 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.