Mississippi

Limited Action

Mississippi at a glance

Mississippi's attorney general is actively holding tech companies accountable.
Mississippi requires age verification for social media but does not set an age minimum.
Mississippi has not mandated a restriction on phones in schools.
Mississippi does not yet have a reasonable childhood independence law.
Mississippi has not yet passed any major laws that regulate harmful tech or hold companies liable.

Areas of Opportunity

Passing a statewide bell-to-bell phone-free schools policy will bring focused learning and real connection back to Mississippi's schools.
Passing a reasonable childhood independence law will protect Mississippi'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 Mississippi families.
Enacting laws that address harmful social media design and AI safety will protect Mississippi'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 Mississippi.

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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
Mississippi has not yet mandated a statewide restriction on phones in schools. View the state’s Phone-Free Schools Report Card.
Childhood Independence
Mississippi 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
Mississippi’s attorney general is actively holding tech companies accountable, filing a state-level lawsuit against Meta, joining the multistate TikTok litigation, and signing the AI Child Safety Letter, 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 Walker Montgomery Protecting Children Online Act requires social media platforms to verify users’ ages and obtain parental consent for minors. The law was upheld in court after a challenge by tech companies.
The law doesn't set a minimum age for social media accounts and has a parental consent loophole, leaving the collective action problem for families unresolved.
Regulating Harmful Design
Mississippi has not yet enacted any significant laws in this area.
Holding Tech Companies Accountable
Mississippi has not yet enacted any significant laws in this area.
Incentivizing Safer Tech
Mississippi 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
Low. Mississippi parents report that their kids experience:
- Low levels of independent, unsupervised activity
- Minimal time spent playing outside and socializing with friends
- High screen time, device ownership, 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.