Google, Meta and TikTok have filed separate lawsuits to block California's Assembly Bill 1709, which restricts social media features for users under 16 and takes effect January 1, 2027.
Google, Meta and TikTok have filed separate lawsuits seeking to block a California law designed to restrict social media features for children under 16, arguing that it violates their First Amendment rights.
Assembly Bill 1709, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom on September 10, is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027. The law prohibits tech companies from offering addictive feeds, endless scrolling and autoplayed videos to kids under 16. Companies must also implement "reasonable measures" to verify users' ages so those under 16 are not given access to the restricted features.
The companies filed their lawsuits in federal courts in San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Jose, California. Google filed in San Jose, Meta in San Francisco, and TikTok in Los Angeles. In addition to the First Amendment, TikTok, Meta and Google argue that the law violates Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act, which shields tech companies from liability for material posted on their sites by third parties.
TikTok called the law "a blatantly unconstitutional restriction on free expression that erodes the long-standing and protected practice of curating content based on user preferences, which bookstores, TV networks and streaming services all use." The company said it has implemented numerous safety measures for kids on its platform.
Meta said the law violates the First Amendment "by letting the government dictate how ideas are organized, displayed, or shared with Californians." Meta added that under the law, it would be forced to either remove features that keep teens' experiences age-appropriate, or cut thousands of California teens off from family, friends, and their communities.
Google said it believes parents are in the best position to make decisions for their families and that it offers a range of parental control tools and protections. "Overly broad laws like this actually break the systems we've built to help kids find high-quality, age-appropriate videos," said spokesman José Castañeda.
The office of California Attorney General Rob Bonta, the defendant in each of the lawsuits, said Thursday it was reviewing the filings and that it was committed to defending state laws to protect kids online.
The lawsuits add to the legal pressure facing social media companies over children's online safety. In August, Meta agreed to pay up to $18 billion and add stronger child-safety measures to its Facebook and Instagram platforms as part of a legal settlement with nearly every state. The platforms, along with Snap, still face thousands of lawsuits from families, school districts and local governments over alleged harm to young users.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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