Children’s online privacy is not just for tweens and half-pints anymore. Several state laws, both general and youth-specific, have strengthened data protection for minors up to age 18. This first article in a two-part series discusses the key pacesetter laws that emerged in 2024 to regulate minors’ online activities and examines the most significant trends shaping this increasingly difficult compliance area, with insights from experts at BakerHostetler, Entertainment Software Rating Board, Loeb & Loeb and SuperAwesome. Part two will provide practical advice on how companies can navigate the new and multi-layered legal constraints on teen privacy and safety. See our two-part series on the FTC’s NGL Labs settlement: “Key Violations and Settlement Terms” (Sep. 18, 2024), and “Compliance Lessons” (Sep. 25, 2024).