California now has the nation’s strictest online child safety laws. Here’s what to know. | #childsafety | #kids | #chldern | #parents | #schoolsafey

California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday signed 13 pieces of legislation into law that put strict rules on how social media companies present content to teenagers in the state. The laws prohibit social media companies from using addictive features like infinite scrolling and autoplay videos for users under 16; require companies to tell a teen user when they’re interacting with an AI chatbot instead of a human; and add new safety regulations for AI companies. 

“This is about actually addressing the problem, the scrolling, the algorithms,” Newsom said at a press conference in San Francisco. “This is about addressing the substantive issue around the engineering.” 

The legislation also includes a law that would allow parents to decline laptops provided by schools. Social media platforms that violate California’s new set of laws could face fines of up to $1 million per child. 

Across the U.S., more than three dozen states have or are considering AI chatbot companion laws, and at least half of states have or are considering age verification laws for social media platforms.  Florida implemented a ban on social media for kids under 14 in 2025, which has already withstood a legal challenge. And Utah earlier this month passed a law targeting the use of VPNs that can be used to circumvent age verification requirements.

California’s AI chatbot bill is named for Adam Raine, a 16-year-old California boy who died by suicide last year, after his mother Maria Raine says he was “coached” by a chatbot. The family is suing OpenAI, the parent company of ChatGPT. “We are all becoming more aware of the dangers of AI companionship and the need for our government to act to protect our children,” Raine said Thursday.

Several lawsuits have focused on social media platforms’ algorithms and how they are intentionally designed to monopolize users’ attention. Meta, parent company of Instagram and Facebook, and Google’s YouTube were found liable in a California case earlier this year, where a young woman who started using social media at age 10 said the platforms’ design was responsible for her anxiety and depression. 

In August, Meta reached a $17 billion settlement in a lawsuit with several states that accused the company of designing its apps to be addictive for teenagers. The terms called for Meta to add daily limits for teen Facebook and Instagram accounts, and block the apps and their push notifications late at night or during school hours. 

The company also must redesign its platforms to reduce social comparison features such as likes on teen accounts, and offer an option for a non-personalized feed. Meta also has to include age verification measures that block children under 13 from using its apps, and detect users under 18. 

As one of the conditions of the settlement, however, Meta has called for other social media companies to match part of the settlement and put similar restrictions on their platforms.

In response to AB 1709, the California bill that bars addictive social media algorithms for teens, Meta told Yahoo Tech in an email that the company believes “delivering a tailored experience is an important part of what makes Facebook and Instagram valuable for teens as they connect with family and friends and explore their interests–safely. Personalization is also how we deliver age-appropriate content for teens that is relevant to them – all with the proper guardrails in place.” 

Meta’s spokesperson said the company is “evaluating” SB 1119, the bill that puts restrictions on AI chatbot companions. “Meta supports balanced regulation of chatbots that empowers parents to make decisions about how their families use these tools, while making sure key educational and enrichment tools are available to teens. While not perfect, this bill takes a meaningful step toward that balance.”

Social media companies are facing similar pushback abroad. Last December, Australia became the first country to ban under-16s from social media, although the effectiveness of its law has been called into question. Newsom said Thursday that California’s new laws are “better than what Australia did” noting that many teens there have found ways to evade age verification requirements.

The UK has proposed a social media ban, to take effect in 2027, that would block children under 16 from accessing social media platforms, and from livestreaming or communicating with strangers on gaming sites. Denmark, France and Spain, have either put social media restrictions into place already, or are moving in that direction.

TikTok, OpenAI and Google did not immediately reply to requests for comment Friday.