Rhode Island

Emerging Action

Rhode Island at a glance

Rhode Island mandates bell-to-bell phone-free schools with inaccessible storage — a model for the rest of the nation.
Rhode Island's attorney general is actively holding tech companies accountable.
Rhode Island has not enacted any significant social media age restrictions.
Rhode Island does not yet have a reasonable childhood independence law.
Rhode Island has not yet passed major laws that regulate harmful tech or hold companies liable.

Areas of Opportunity

Passing a reasonable childhood independence law will protect Rhode Island's 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 Rhode Island families.
Passing laws that address harmful social media design and AI safety will protect Rhode Island's kids from manipulative technology.
Creating legal pathways for families to sue tech companies for harm will help Rhode Island hold big tech accountable.

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

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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
Rhode Island mandates bell-to-bell phone-free schools and requires inaccessible device storage. It was one of only two states to receive the highest grade from the Phone-Free Schools Report Card for its model policy.
Childhood Independence
Rhode Island 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.

Political Leadership

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

Attorney General Leadership
Attorney General Peter Neronha 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 Local Authority 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
Rhode Island has not enacted any significant social media age restrictions.
Regulating Harmful Design
Rhode Island has not yet enacted any significant laws in this area.
Holding Tech Companies Accountable
Rhode Island has not yet enacted any significant laws in this area.
Incentivizing Safer Tech
Rhode Island 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. Rhode Island 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.

Geographic Neighbors