Maryland

Emerging Action

Maryland at a glance

Maryland parents report conditions that support childhood resilience.
Maryland’s Kids Code requires platforms to protect minors and requires strict default privacy settings for users under 18, among other protections.
While Maryland's Attorney General joined the multistate lawsuit against Meta, he is not enforcing the Kids Code.
Maryland has not mandated a restriction on phones in schools.
Maryland does not yet have a reasonable childhood independence law.

Areas of Opportunity

Enforcing the Kids Code will help protect Maryland's kids from harmful and manipulative technology.
Passing a statewide bell-to-bell phone-free schools policy will bring focused learning and real connection back to Maryland's schools.
Passing a reasonable childhood independence law will protect Maryland'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 Maryland families.

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

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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
Maryland has not yet mandated a statewide restriction on phones in schools. View the state’s Phone-Free Schools Report Card.
Childhood Independence
Maryland 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
Maryland's Attorney General is not enforcing the Kids Code despite the law remaining in effect during a legal challenge. Maryland has joined the multistate lawsuit against Meta and signed the AI Local Authority Letter, the 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
The Maryland Kids Code requires companies to prioritize the safety and well-being of users under 18. The law is in effect, and has withstood a court challenge by tech companies, but the Attorney General is not enforcing it.
The law doesn't set a minimum age for social media accounts.
Harmful Design Regulation
The Maryland Kids Code requires strict default privacy settings for minors, prohibits certain manipulative design features, and restricts data collection.
Tech Accountability
Maryland has not yet enacted any significant laws in this area beyond the Kids Code, which is not being enforced.
Incentivizing Safer Tech
Maryland 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. Maryland 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.