Utah

National Leader

Utah has earned its National Leader title through groundbreaking efforts to regulate social media companies and reclaim childhood in the real world. The state's leaders have displayed real courage and are showing the rest of the country what is possible. Utah’s progress is making a difference, and their continued leadership will help kids and families across the country.

Utah at a glance

Utah Governor Spencer Cox and Attorney General Derek Brown are actively committed to restoring childhood and protecting kids online.
Utah was the first state in the nation to pass a reasonable childhood independence law.
Utah is testing innovative policies that protect minors online and push tech companies to build safer products.
A federal court has blocked enforcement of Utah’s Minor Protection in Social Media Act during a constitutional challenge to the law (currently under appeal).
Utah requires school districts to adopt phone policies, but does not mandate bell-to-bell restrictions statewide.

Areas of Opportunity

Strengthening the statewide phone policy to require bell-to-bell restrictions with inaccessible storage will bring real connection back to all Utah schools.
Setting a social media age minimum of 16 with no parental consent loophole will solve the collective action problem for Utah families.
Revising social media laws to withstand constitutional scrutiny will ensure Utah's protections for kids remain enforceable.
Expanding existing laws to address AI safety will keep Utah ahead of emerging threats to children online.

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

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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
Utah requires school districts to adopt phone policies, but does not mandate bell-to-bell restrictions. View the state’s Phone-Free Schools Report Card.
Childhood Independence
Utah was the first state in the nation to pass a reasonable childhood independence law, protecting families from unreasonable charges of neglect. The law specifically protects independent activities like biking to school and playing outside unsupervised.

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 Spencer Cox has been a trailblazer in reclaiming childhood and protecting kids online. He has signed several key pieces of legislation into law, speaks out for a social media age minimum, pushed for stronger phone restrictions in schools, and champions policies that give kids the freedom to play and explore independently. He continues to push Utah — and the nation — to do more to protect children.
Attorney General Leadership
Utah's Office of the Attorney General has been a leader on tech accountability, filing its own lawsuits against Meta and TikTok and leading national AI safety efforts. Utah served as a lead state for the AI Local Authority Letter and the xAI Grok Letter, and signed the AI Child Safety Letter, the 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 Utah Minor Protection in Social Media Act requires platforms to verify users’ ages and set strict privacy protections for minors by default. It also requires platforms to provide parents with methods to monitor their child’s account and set time limits.
A federal court has temporarily blocked enforcement during a constitutional challenge, but Utah is fighting to reinstate it.
Regulating Harmful Design
In addition to requiring age verification and default privacy settings, the Utah Minor Protection in Social Media Act restricts direct messages and sharing to “friends” only and requires companies to disable addictive features like autoplay, push notifications, and infinite scrolling for users under 18.
A federal court has temporarily blocked enforcement during a constitutional challenge, but Utah is fighting to reinstate it.
Holding Tech Companies Accountable
Utah's revised H.B. 464 law makes it easier for families to sue companies that use curated algorithms and engagement-driven design features if using the platform harms their child’s mental health. The law shifts the burden of proof to companies to prove their algorithms didn't cause harm.
Incentivizing Safer Tech
Utah's Digital Choice Act requires social media platforms to build encrypted tools that allow users to easily and securely transfer their data and content to competing platforms. The law establishes that user-generated content belongs to the individual, not the platform. This allows users to leave platforms they dislike easily, creating a powerful incentive for companies to compete on safety rather than rely on addictive "lock-in" features.
Set for implementation in July 2026, this law is the first of its kind in the nation.

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. Utah 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.