Privacy & Information Security Law Blog

In May 2025, Nebraska enacted a series of laws aimed to protect children online including the Parental Rights in Social Media Act (LB383) and the Age-Appropriate Online Design Code Act (LB 504).

Parental Rights In Social Media Act

On May 20, 2025, Nebraska Governor Pillen signed Legislative Bill 383, converting the Parental Rights in Social Media Act (the “Act”) into law. The Act requires social media companies to verify the age of users and obtain parental consent before permitting minors to create their own online accounts.

The Act requires social media companies to use a reasonable age verification method to verify the age of an individual seeking to become an account holder on the company's platform. A social media company may allow a minor to become an account holder if the minor’s parent provides their express consent, which must include: (1) age verification of the parent through a reasonable age verification method; and (2) an oath, affirmation, or form signed by the parent and returned to the company (or third-party vendor on behalf of the company), stating that the consenting adult is the minor user's parent and authorizing the minor to become an account holder. Social media companies also must develop a method for the parent to revoke their consent.

In addition to obtaining parental consent, social media companies must provide a parent of a minor account holder with methods to supervise the minor's account, including the ability to:

• view all posts the minor account holder makes under their account;
• view all responses and messages sent to or by the minor;
• control the minor's privacy and account settings; and
• monitor and limit the amount of time the minor spends using the social media platform.

These provisions will become effective on July 1, 2026. The Act provides for a private right of action as well as enforcement by the Nebraska Attorney General with penalties of up to $2,500 per violation.

Age-Appropriate Online Design Code Act 

On May 30, 2025 the Age-Appropriate Online Design Code Act (“AAODCA”) was signed into law in Nebraska. The AAODCA requires online services to protect user data, implement design features that reduce harm resulting from compulsive use and allow parents to access their child’s privacy and account settings.

The AAODCA applies to any online service that conduct business in Nebraska and: (1) has annual gross revenue in excess of twenty-five million dollars; (2) annually buys, receives, sells, or shares the personal data of fifty thousand or more consumers, households, or devices; and (3) derives at least fifty percent of its annual revenue from the sale or sharing of consumers' personal data. The AAODCA exempts online services that possess actual knowledge that fewer than two percent of its users are minors.

Among other obligations, the law requires covered online services to provide minors with accessible and easy-to-use tools that:

• limit the ability of other users or visitors to communicate with the minor;
• prevent other individuals from viewing the minor’s personal data;
• allow a covered minor to opt out of covered design features that are unnecessary to provide the online service;
• control personalized recommendations by allowing a minor to opt in to a chronological feed or by categories of content from being recommended;
• allow a covered minor to opt out of all in-game purchases and transactions; and
• restrict the sharing of the minor’s precise geolocation and provide notice regarding tracking of the minor's precise geolocation information. An online service must also provide an obvious sign when a minor’s precise geolocation is being collected or used.

In addition to these requirements, covered online services must provide minors with

easy-to-use options to limit the amount of time they spend using the service and must establish default settings at the highest level of protection for the minor. Covered online services must also provide parents with the ability to manage their child’s privacy settings, restrict their child’s purchases and place time limits on their child’s use of the online service.

The AAODCA will become effective on January 1, 2026, and enforcement of the act by the Attorney General will begin on July 1, 2026. Any violation of the AAODCA also constitutes an additional and separate violation of Nebraska’s Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act and may result in civil penalties of up to $50,000 for each violation.