Image of Adam Raine, whom “Adam’s Law” is named in honor of.
New legislation to keep kids safe online
- AB 1709 by Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal (D-Long Beach) – Covered platforms: age restriction: e-Safety Advisory Commission.
- SB 1119 by Senator Steve Padilla (D-San Diego), Assemblymembers Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) and Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda) – Companion chatbots: children’s safety.
- AB 2 by Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal (D-Long Beach) – Injuries to children: civil penalties.
- AB 1856 by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) – Age verification signals: software applications.
- AB 1946 Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) – Reporting mechanism: child sexual abuse material.
- AB 2246 by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) – Online service, product, or feature: access by children.
- AB 1159 by Assemblymember Dawn Addis (D-Morro Bay) – Student personal information.
- AB 2071 by Assemblymember Josh Hoover (R–Folsom) – Pupil instruction: digital wellness.
- AB 302 by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda) – Pupil and parental communication: extracurricular activities: addictive feeds.
- SB 1276 by Senator Susan Rubio (D-Baldwin Park) – Crimes: sexual exploitation of a child.
- SB 1128 by Senator Henry Stern (D-Los Angeles) – Pupils: technology-based materials: school-issued electronic devices.
- AB 2298 by Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks) – Pupil instruction: computer science: content standards.
- SB 867 by Senator Steve Padilla (D-San Diego) – Toys: companion chatbots.
Leading the nation in online safety
Under Governor Newsom’s leadership and in partnership with the Legislature, California has enacted nation-leading requirements for responsible AI and social media use for children, including warning labels for young users, required age verification signals, guidance to protect kids from after-school cyberbullying, and prohibiting online platforms from knowingly providing an addictive feed to a minor without parental consent. In 2022, Governor Newsom also signed legislation requiring companies to publicly post their policies regarding hate speech, disinformation, harassment, and extremism on their platforms and report data on their enforcement of those policies. Governor Newsom also launched Soluna and Brightlife Kids to provide free mental health resources to children across the state and was an early advocate of limiting smartphone use during school hours. First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom also recently launched a Teen Tech Council to ensure young people’s voices help shape state policy and to support digital wellness initiatives across the state.
Stopping online exploitation
During the Newsom administration, California is taking steps to protect people from bad actors online, including requiring social media platforms to establish a mechanism for reporting and removing “sexually explicit digital identity theft” and expanding the scope of existing child pornography statutes to include material that is digitally altered or generated through the use of AI. California also enacted stronger penalties for deepfake pornography by expanding the cause of action to allow victims, including minors, to seek civil relief of up to $250,000 per action against third parties who knowingly facilitate or aid in the distribution of nonconsensual sexually explicit material.
California is building safeguards as AI accelerates
California is the longstanding national leader in AI safety. In 2023, Governor Newsom issued a first-of-its-kind executive order directing the state to safely use AI for the benefit of Californians; identify potential risks to individuals, communities, state government, and state workers; and implement guardrails to ensure the government’s use of AI protects Californians’ rights and safety.
In 2024, the Governor signed a nation-leading comprehensive package of AI legislation addressing issues including deepfakes, AI watermarking, children and workers. The Administration also convened leading AI academics and experts to develop a science-based framework for understanding the capabilities and risks of frontier models.
In 2025, Governor Newsom signed the nation’s first AI safety law — SB 53, California’s Transparency in Frontier Artificial Intelligence Act — which requires frontier AI developers to publicly disclose their safety frameworks, report certain critical safety incidents to the state and protects whistleblowers who report serious risks. California also strengthened automated decision-making technology privacy regulations. Yesterday, Governor Newsom signed SB 813 (McNerney) establishing a first-in-the-nation framework for independent verification organizations that can assess AI systems and models for compliance with state law. Governor Newsom also signed AB 1405 (Bauer-Kahan), creating a state registry for AI auditors and establishing standards for their independence, transparency, and integrity.
Preparing California for the impacts of AI
This year, to prepare workers and businesses for potential disruption, Governor Newsom signed a first-of-its-kind executive order to support workers in sectors impacted by AI transition and help California respond faster to potential layoffs and economic disruption. Governor Newsom also issued an executive order to further strengthen privacy and civil liberties protections around California’s procurement processes, raising the bar for AI companies seeking to do business with the state. He also launched a Tech Fraud Task Force to collaborate with the private sector to crack down on AI-enabled fraud and signed legislation preventing scams from AI-generated robocalls. In August, Governor Newsom announced a first-in-the-nation AI Cyber Defense Program within the California Cybersecurity Integration Center to strengthen defenses against emerging AI-enabled cyber threats.
As AI capabilities continue to accelerate, California is continuing to strengthen transparency, protect whistleblowers, defend critical infrastructure and ensure meaningful human oversight.
And while California keeps leading, the speed and scale of the technology and its associated risks demand a national response. Governor Newsom continues to call on the federal government to establish robust national regulations that protect the public while allowing responsible innovation to flourish.
