California Lawmakers Pass Social Media Restrictions for Teens Under 16

California Moves to Restrict Addictive Social Media Features for Youth

California lawmakers on Monday approved groundbreaking legislation that bans social media platforms from offering allegedly addictive features to children under 16 years old. The bill now heads to Gov. Gavin Newsom for final approval, marking what experts describe as a watershed moment in tech regulation for the nation’s most populous state.

The California Legislature passed Assembly Bill 1709 with overwhelming bipartisan support in both chambers on Monday evening. The measure targets features designed to maximize screen time, including infinite scrolling, autoplaying videos, personalized algorithmic feeds, and push notifications on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube.

“Parents are asking us to step up and protect their children from the harmful design choices built into today’s social media platforms,” said Democratic state Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal, who authored the bill. “We have a responsibility to listen and respond.”

Lowenthal, who represents Long Beach, expressed strong optimism that Newsom will sign the legislation into law. If approved, the restrictions would take effect in January 2027 and authorize the state attorney general to implement and enforce compliance. The bill establishes an independent advisory commission to continue monitoring platforms and the features they offer to children as technology evolves.

Shift from Outright Ban to Feature-Based Restrictions

The legislation underwent significant revision during its path through the state Capitol. AB 1709 initially proposed an outright ban on social media accounts for Californians under 16, modeled after policies in Australia. However, Lowenthal modified the measure in recent months following pushback from senators concerned that such an approach could exclude vulnerable young people from potentially safe online spaces.

“In other words, the bill regulates how the platforms are designed for kids, not whether kids can access social media altogether,” Lowenthal said Monday. “I feel now this bill addresses what we were truly trying to address all along: prohibiting children from the most harmful and addictive design practices these platforms use.”

The feature-based approach represents an emerging trend among lawmakers who prefer restricting specific design elements rather than implementing complete access bans. This strategy contrasts with outright age restrictions enacted in countries like Australia, France, and Malaysia. Under California’s framework, platforms can continue serving young users if they remove addictive features and become what Lowenthal called “good actors.”

Timing Follows Major Meta Settlement

The bill’s passage comes on the heels of a major settlement deal reached last week with Meta, totaling up to $18 billion. The agreement resolved claims brought by dozens of state attorneys general alleging that the social media giant knew its flagship Instagram and Facebook platforms posed youth addiction and mental health risks.

“At the end of the day, it is incumbent on lawmakers to actually follow through with more policies that are going to help protect kids, not just the courts,” said Republican Assemblymember Josh Hoover, a joint author of the legislation.

The bipartisan support reflects growing urgency around youth mental health concerns. California’s approach joins many efforts across the country by legislators attempting to determine the best way to protect children online amid rising rates of youth suicide and adolescents reporting poor mental health. The American Academy of Pediatrics has endorsed the bill, bolstering its public health rationale.

Addressing Privacy and Constitutional Concerns

The legislation has faced scrutiny over potential privacy implications and First Amendment considerations. Age verification has raised concerns because it typically requires collecting sensitive information that may compromise anonymity on the internet. However, Lowenthal emphasized that the bill leverages existing law allowing for device-level verification, meaning in most cases users will not need to present government-issued identification.

Critics have also voiced fears about infringement on constitutional rights, given that young people are entitled to speak and access speech on social media under the First Amendment. Lowenthal defended the measure by framing youth social media use as a pressing public health crisis that must take precedence.

“Young people are allowed to ride bicycles and skateboards just like adults, but they’re required to wear helmets because of the unique developmental concerns,” he said. “This is no different.”

Federal Gridlock Persists as States Take Action

The proposal emerges as Washington remains gridlocked on kids’ online safety issues, despite bipartisan support for stricter controls in Congress. Federal lawmakers have sparred over the right approach to regulating social media platforms, leaving states to pursue their own protective measures. California’s status as a technology hub and its history of leading tech policy initiatives give the legislation outsized national significance.

The bill represents what experts characterize as a massive step for addressing concerns about the harms of youth screen time. Previous court rulings in New Mexico and Los Angeles, along with the recent Meta settlement, have created legal precedent supporting greater regulation of social media companies’ practices regarding minors.

As the legislation awaits Gov. Newsom’s signature, advocates for child safety view the measure as a critical breakthrough in holding tech platforms accountable for design choices that may harm young users. The outcome will likely influence similar legislative efforts in other states grappling with how to balance youth access to online communities with protection from potentially addictive and harmful platform features.