California Enacts New Social Media Restrictions for Children
On February 13, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law new regulations targeting social media platforms to protect children under the age of 16 from features designed to be behaviorally addictive. The measures include banning infinite-scroll feeds and algorithmic autoplay on such platforms, as well as prohibiting toys with AI companion chatbots for four years. The legislation is part of a broader package aimed at safeguarding minors online by enhancing privacy protections and expanding criminal sanctions against child sexual abuse material, including digitally altered or AI-generated content. The bill was named
Topics: AI ethics child safety social media technology regulation