South Dakota

Limited Action

South Dakota at a glance

South Dakota's attorney general is actively holding tech companies accountable.
South Dakota does not criminalize childhood independence but would benefit from a clear reasonable childhood independence law.
South Dakota has not mandated a restriction on phones in schools.
South Dakota has not enacted any significant social media age restrictions.
South Dakota 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 South Dakota's schools.
Passing a clear reasonable childhood independence law will provide stronger protections for South Dakota's families.
Setting a social media age minimum of 16 with no parental consent loophole will solve the collective action problem for South Dakota families.
Enacting laws that address harmful social media design and AI safety will protect South Dakota'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 South Dakota.

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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
South Dakota has not yet mandated a statewide restriction on phones in schools. View the state’s Phone-Free Schools Report Card.
Childhood Independence
While South Dakota does not have a reasonable childhood independence law, there is no statute that criminalizes letting a child be alone. South Dakota’s neglect law is broad, however, leaving parents vulnerable to unfair charges of 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?

Attorney General Leadership
South Dakota joined the multistate lawsuit against Meta, and has called for action on kids’ online safety by signing the AI Child Safety 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
South Dakota has not enacted any significant social media age restrictions.
Regulating Harmful Design
South Dakota has not yet enacted any significant laws in this area.
Holding Tech Companies Accountable
South Dakota has not yet enacted any significant laws in this area.
Incentivizing Safer Tech
South Dakota 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
Medium. South Dakota parents report that their kids experience:
- Moderate levels of independent, unsupervised activity
- Moderate time spent playing outside and socializing with friends
- Moderate 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.