New Jersey

Emerging Action

New Jersey at a glance

New Jersey mandates bell-to-bell phone-free schools, ensuring their students can learn and connect with each other without distractions.
New Jersey's newly elected governor has pledged to hold big tech accountable and the attorney general is actively doing so.
New Jersey has not enacted any significant social media age restrictions.
New Jersey does not yet have a reasonable childhood independence law.
New Jersey has not yet passed major laws that regulate harmful tech or hold companies liable.

Areas of Opportunity

Strengthening the statewide phone policy to require inaccessible storage will bring even more focus and connection back to New Jersey's schools.
Passing a reasonable childhood independence law will protect New Jersey'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 New Jersey families.
Enacting laws that address harmful social media design and AI safety will protect New Jersey'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 New Jersey.

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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
New Jersey 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
New Jersey 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.
New Jersey’s child welfare policy states explicitly that "lack of supervision is neglect."

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
New Jersey's newly elected Governor Mikie Sherrill campaigned on holding big tech accountable, pledging "As Governor, I'll hold Big Tech companies accountable for the harm they're inflicting on New Jersey's young people and families." She supports age-appropriate design codes, social media warning labels, and AI chatbot protections. Outgoing Governor Phil Murphy prioritized phone-free schools.
Attorney General Leadership
New Jersey Office of the Attorney General has been active on tech accountability, filing state-level lawsuits against TikTok and Discord for harming children and joining the multistate lawsuits against Meta and TikTok. New Jersey led the AI Chatbot Safety Letter and signed the AI Child Safety Letter, AI Local Authority Letter, xAI Grok Letter, and 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
New Jersey has not enacted any significant social media age restrictions.
Regulating Harmful Design
New Jersey has not yet enacted any significant laws in this area.
Holding Tech Companies Accountable
New Jersey has not yet enacted any significant laws in this area.
Incentivizing Safer Tech
New Jersey 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. New Jersey 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.