Tech giants sue California over child‑safety social media law

Meta, Google, and TikTok have all initiated legal proceedings against California Attorney General Rob Bonta in an effort to prevent the implementation of a new state regulation that restricts the use of addictive design elements for minors under the age of 16.

The legislation, known as Assembly Bill 1709, was signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in September and is scheduled to take effect on 1 January 2027. The legislation bans social media services from providing autoplay videos, customized recommendation streams, or other algorithmic tools that the state characterizes as psychologically exploitative to users younger than 16. If a platform does not comply, it must delete the accounts of those users, and could face fines of up to $50,000 per non‑compliant account.

In their filings, Meta, Google and TikTok argue that the law infringes on their First Amendment rights by forcing them to alter how they curate and display content. They also claim that Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which shields platforms from liability for user‑generated content, preempts the state law.

Background

Assembly Bill 1709 is part of California’s broader Digital Age Assurance Act, a bipartisan initiative aimed at tightening restrictions on child social‑media use. The bill targets features that the state believes encourage compulsive use, such as autoplay and algorithmic recommendations. The law requires platforms to remove these features for users under 16 and to delete accounts that continue to use them.

The lawsuits were filed on 5 November 2026. Meta’s complaint notes that its current feed organisation relies on personalized recommendations and autoplay, and that the law would effectively ban the company from disseminating speech to minors unless it changes its practices. Google’s filing focuses on YouTube’s recommendation system and autoplay, arguing that the law would interfere with the platform’s First Amendment right to curate content. TikTok’s complaint similarly cites constitutional concerns.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office has responded that it is reviewing the legal challenges and remains committed to defending the state’s child‑safety laws.

Why it matters

The lawsuits raise questions about the balance between protecting children from potentially addictive online features and preserving the free‑speech rights of large technology companies. If the courts side with the companies, California could lose a significant tool aimed at reducing compulsive social‑media use among minors. Conversely, a ruling against the firms would reinforce state authority to regulate platform features deemed harmful to young users.

Furthermore, the statute creates financial exposure for these platforms, as failure to adhere to the rules could lead to penalties reaching $50,000 for every affected user under 16. This could affect millions of accounts across the industry, given the large number of under‑age users on platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.

What happens next

The lawsuits are currently pending. California’s Attorney General office has indicated that it will continue to defend the law. The outcome will be decided by the courts, with potential implications for other states considering similar regulations.

The companies have not indicated any immediate changes to their services, and no court orders have yet been issued to halt the law’s implementation. The legal process will determine whether the state’s child‑safety provisions can stand against claims of constitutional infringement.