South Carolina

Emerging Action

South Carolina at a glance

South Carolina mandates bell-to-bell phone-free schools.
South Carolina's Kids Code requires platforms to prioritize the safety and privacy of minors by design and allows platform executives and employees to be held personally liable for violations.
South Carolina's attorney general is actively holding tech companies accountable.
South Carolina does not yet have a reasonable childhood independence law.
South Carolina has not enacted any significant social media age restrictions.

Areas of Opportunity

Strengthening the statewide phone policy to require inaccessible storage will bring even more focus and connection back to South Carolina's schools.
Passing a reasonable childhood independence law will protect South Carolina'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 South Carolina families.
Expanding existing laws to address AI safety will further protect South Carolina'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 South Carolina.

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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
South Carolina 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
South Carolina 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.
In 2018 and 2021, the state legislature considered legislation that would protect the ability of children to engage in independent activities, but have not yet voted it 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?

Attorney General Leadership
Attorney General Alan Wilson has been active on tech accountability, joining the multistate lawsuits against Meta and TikTok. He has also called for action on kids’ online safety by leading the AI Child Safety Letter and signing the AI Local Authority Letter, AI Chatbot Safety 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
The South Carolina Kids Code requires platforms to prioritize the safety and privacy of minors by design.
The law doesn't set a minimum age for social media accounts.
Harmful Design Regulation
South Carolina’s Kids Code-which came into effect immediately upon the governor’s signature in February 2026-requires platforms to prioritize the safety and privacy of minors by design, mandates default privacy protections for users under 18, requires platforms to provide parental oversight tools, and prohibits addictive features in minors’ accounts, among other protections.
Tech Accountability
Under The Kids Code, tech company executives and employees can be held personally liable for violations.
Incentivizing Safer Tech
South Carolina 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. South Carolina 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.

Geographic Neighbors