AB 1709, set to take effect January 1, bars features like personal recommendations and autoplay for videos, out of concern they foster compulsive use by children under 16. But in a federal lawsuit this week, Google, Meta and TikTok argue the new law violates their First Amendment rights.
Nov 6, 2026
Updated 4:11 pm PT
A 14-year-old boy holds an iPhone with various California law set to go into effect in January.
In separate lawsuits filed Wednesday, Google, Meta and TikTok said
<p>Newsom signed AB 1709 into law in September, saying at the time that children’s safety should be central to any discussion about Instagram under agreements with nearly all U.S. states. They accused it of violating privacy and consumer protection laws.
“The public and the attorneys general are outraged at the behavior of the big social media and AI platforms,” said Jim Steyer, the CEO of Common Sense Media, which is also a big mover and shaker in Sacramento.
Now, Steyer said, consumer advocates and states are winning. “They’re winning big. And so the companies are trying to delay the inevitable. Defer the settlements, minimize the settlements. And somehow trying to explain after the fact that they aren’t really liable for all the damages and all the harm they’ve caused to young people,” he told KQED.
Many states regulate children’s access to social media given the inability of Congress, over several presidential administrations, to take action. In the meantime, countries elsewhere are experimenting with a range of restrictions; Australia, for example, has a ban on social media for children under 16.
