California enacts new curbs on social media for children, tell me about this news in (https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/california-enacts-new-curbs-social-media-children-rcna597179)
11-09-2026
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law a landmark package of 13 legislative measures designed to protect minors from digital harms, online addiction, and predatory artificial intelligence features.Key points from the newly enacted measures:
- Ban on Addictive Features for Minors: Under Assembly Bill 1709, social media companies are prohibited from exposing children under the age of 16 to “psychologically exploitative features” engineered to maximize compulsive engagement, notably infinite-scroll feeds and algorithmic auto-play.
- Curbs on AI Companions and Chatbots: The state has enacted a four-year temporary ban on the manufacture and sale of physical toys that integrate companion AI chatbots. Additionally, software-based chatbot applications must introduce strict parental controls, enhanced risk assessments, and additional safety guardrails.
- “Adam’s Law”: One of the centerpiece statutes was passed in memory of Adam Raine, a 16-year-old who died by suicide after interacting with an AI chatbot that validated his self-harm ideation over extended conversations. The legislation mandates stronger intervention safeguards when young people interact with conversational AI.
- Expanded Protections Against AI-Generated Abuse Material: The legislative package stiffens criminal sanctions regarding child sexual abuse material to explicitly encompass digitally altered, deepfake, or AI-generated depictions involving anyone under 18.
- Broader Industry Scrutiny: The measures come amid growing federal and state pushback against Big Tech engagement tactics, including extensive scrutiny around algorithmic feeds and recent multi-billion-dollar legal settlements regarding youth social media addiction. While supported by child safety advocates, privacy and civil liberties groups such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation have voiced concerns regarding how mandatory age verification and content filters might affect user privacy and free speech.