Google, Meta, and TikTok have filed separate lawsuits to block a California law set to take effect on January 1. The law, Assembly Bill 1709, aims to curb addictive features on social media platforms for children under 16. It bans personalized recommendations and autoplay for videos, requiring platforms to delete accounts with these features.
The companies argue that the law violates their First Amendment rights and Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. They claim it substitutes the state’s judgment for that of parents and forces them to remove features that keep teens’ experiences age-appropriate. TikTok and Meta emphasized that the law would cut off thousands of California teens from their communities.
The California Attorney General’s office is reviewing the lawsuits, stating its commitment to defending laws that protect kids online. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who signed the bill into law in September, said children’s safety should be central to technology discussions. The lawsuits come as the companies face thousands of lawsuits alleging they intentionally addicted children to their platforms.
In August, Meta agreed to pay up to $18 billion to limit teenagers’ use of Facebook and Instagram under agreements with nearly all U.S. states. Jim Steyer, CEO of Common Sense Media, argued that consumer advocates and states are winning against the companies, which are trying to delay settlements.