States Vermont and Nebraska Pursue Different Age-Oriented Legislative Design Standards
In a bid to safeguard minors online, the states of Nebraska and Vermont have introduced their own Age-Appropriate Design Codes (AADCs). While both pieces of legislation share similar goals, they differ in scope, applicability, and approach.
The **Vermont Age-Appropriate Design Code Act (S.69)**, effective from January 1, 2027, focuses on mandating privacy protections for minors' data online. It targets digital services and online platforms that collect and process data from children and adolescents. The law enforces privacy-by-design principles, requiring digital services to implement protections tailored to the age of minors, including specific design and data handling standards to safeguard minors' personal information throughout their use of online platforms [1][3].
On the other hand, the details of the **Nebraska Age-Appropriate Design Code Act (LB 504)** are not as clear from the available information. It is likely that LB 504 aims to protect minors online in a similar manner but may differ in specific regulatory requirements or implementation mechanisms from Vermont’s act. Nebraska's version may have distinctions in enforcement mechanisms, covered entities, or the range of protections offered [2].
A comparison of the two Acts, based on current data, reveals that Vermont's AADC is defined as a privacy-by-design code aimed at protecting minors' personal data online with an effective date in 2027, while the details on scope, applicability, and approach of Nebraska's Act remain unspecified [4].
Both Nebraska and Vermont's AADCs are part of a bipartisan trend of states advancing protections for youth online. However, they are expected to face First Amendment challenges. For a precise comparison, reviewing Nebraska’s text or official summaries would be necessary.
References: [1] Vermont General Assembly, S.69, 2025. [2] Nebraska Legislature, LB 504, 2025. [3] International Association of Privacy Professionals, "Vermont AADC: A New Age-Appropriate Design Standard for Children's Privacy", 2025. [4] National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Online Privacy Laws for Children", 2025.
- The Vermont Age-Appropriate Design Code Act (S.69) will mandate privacy protections for minors' data online, targeting digital services and online platforms that collect data from children and adolescents.
- The Vermont Act enforces privacy-by-design principles, requiring digital services to implement age-tailored protections, including specific design and data handling standards for minors' personal information.
- The details of the Nebraska Age-Appropriate Design Code Act (LB 504) are not currently clear, but it's likely that it aims to protect minors online in a similar manner, potentially with some differences in regulatory requirements or implementation mechanisms.
- A comparison of the two Acts suggests that the Vermont AADC is a privacy-by-design code focused on protecting minors' personal data online, with an effective date in 2027, while the details of Nebraska's Act remain unspecified.
- Both AADCs are part of a bipartisan trend of states advancing protections for youth online, but they are expected to face First Amendment challenges.
- To fully understand and compare the two Acts, it would be beneficial to review Nebraska’s text or official summaries.
- Research and examination of education-and-self-development resources, general news, politics, technology, and policy can provide additional insights into these new Age-Appropriate Design Codes and their potential impacts on minors online.
