Keeping children safe used to mean reminding them to look both ways before crossing the street and come home before dark. These days, parents also have to think about group chats, gaming platforms, social media, and conversations happening behind a screen.
That’s a lot to keep up with, especially when you’re already juggling work, family, and the grocery budget.
A September 2026 report from Crowson Law Group ranked Idaho and Nebraska at the top of its assessment of state policies addressing children’s online safety. The findings raise a question that matters to families everywhere: what protections are in place, and what can parents do at home?
Which States Ranked Highest?
The report examined all 50 states, considering policies related to children’s privacy, age verification for adult websites, AI chatbots, and school phone use. It also reviewed electronic bullying, recreational screen time, and CyberTipline reporting data.
The following scores and survey figures were included in the supplied findings:
| State | State Policy Score | High School Students Reporting Electronic Bullying | Children With 4+ Hours of Daily Screen Time Outside School |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho | 100 | 16.4% | 20.0% |
| Nebraska | 100 | 17.1% | 20.3% |
| Georgia | 79 | 13.3% | 21.1% |
| California | 77 | 14.7% | 21.0% |
| Florida | 77 | 12.9% | 23.7% |
| Louisiana | 77 | 18.7% | 29.3% |
| New York | 77 | 18.0% | 22.3% |
| South Carolina | 77 | 14.0% | 25.0% |
| Texas | 77 | 11.9% | 23.9% |
| Tennessee | 67 | 17.4% | 20.1% |
Source: Supplied findings from Crowson Law Group’s September 2026 report. Policy scores reflect the study’s criteria, rather than a guarantee of safety.
Idaho and Nebraska Led the Policy Assessment
Idaho and Nebraska both received a policy score of 100. The report credited them with measures across all four policy areas it tracked.
The supplied data showed that 16.4% of Idaho high school students and 17.1% of Nebraska high school students reported electronic bullying. Around one in five children in each state spent four or more hours daily on screens outside school.
Those numbers provide context, but they don’t establish that particular laws caused lower bullying rates or reduced screen time. Measuring whether a policy works requires more than comparing states at one point in time.
Georgia Followed, With Several States Sharing the Same Score
Georgia received a policy score of 79. California, Florida, Louisiana, New York, South Carolina, and Texas each received 77.
Their shared scores didn’t mean children had identical experiences. For example, the supplied electronic bullying figures ranged from 11.9% in Texas to 18.7% in Louisiana.
Louisiana also had the highest share of children spending four or more hours daily on screens among these 10 states, at 29.3%.
For parents, that’s a reminder to look beyond a ranking. A state’s policy score can’t tell you what is happening in your child’s particular group chat, classroom, or gaming community.
Children’s Online Privacy Has Federal Protections, Too
State policies are only part of the picture. The federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, known as COPPA, places requirements on covered websites and online services that collect personal information from children under 13. These include parental notice and consent requirements.
That means a state’s absence of one of the specific policies tracked by this study should not be described as having “no legal protections” for children online.
Parents can learn more through the FTC’s guide to protecting children’s privacy online. For covered services, parents have rights that include reviewing their child’s collected information, withdrawing consent, and requesting deletion.
Budget-Friendly Ways to Make Online Safety Part of Family Life
You don’t have to begin with an expensive monitoring subscription. Start with conversations, device settings, and routines your family can maintain.
Review Settings Together
Sit down with your child and look at who can view their profile, send messages, or see their location. Check each app separately rather than assuming one phone setting covers everything.
Make this a shared task so your child understands the choices you’re making.
Create a Simple Family Technology Agreement
Write down expectations for downloading apps, accepting friend requests, sharing photos, and using devices at bedtime.
Include what your child should do if something makes them uncomfortable. Keep the agreement clear enough that everyone can remember it.
Make It Safe to Ask for Help
Try saying: “If someone sends you something upsetting or asks you to keep a secret, you can come to me. We’ll work through it together.”
A child who expects an immediate lecture may hesitate to speak up. Lead with listening so you can understand what happened.
Talk About AI Chatbots
Ask whether your child uses chatbots and what they use them for. Discuss why personal details should stay private and why a convincing response still needs checking.
Encourage them to bring troubling conversations to a trusted adult.
Build Screen-Free Moments Into the Day
Choose manageable routines, such as putting phones away during dinner or taking a short walk together.
Affordable alternatives might include library visits, card games, crafts with supplies you already have, or helping cook a meal. Start small enough that the routine fits real family life.
Learn the School’s Phone Policy
Check your school’s current rules and ask how students can contact a parent when necessary. Knowing the policy helps your family plan ahead and avoid confusion.
Safety Starts With Staying Connected
The report offers a snapshot of selected state policies and indicators. It doesn’t identify a place where children are automatically safe online.
For families living on a bare budget, a useful starting point is regular attention: ask questions, review settings, and make room for honest conversations.
You don’t have to know every app or have every answer. Let your child know they have someone to turn to when a digital situation gets uncomfortable.
Explore the complete research findings for the study’s underlying data.
