Overview
- Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the child‑safety package on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, joining lawmakers and families at a Bay Area event to announce the new rules.
- AB 1709 bars social media companies from giving users under 16 algorithmic feeds, autoplay, infinite scroll and other features deemed “addictive” unless the company verifies age and supplies a non‑addictive alternative or deletes the account.
- SB 1119, named Adam’s Law, will require chatbot operators to check ages, route minors in crisis to support, notify connected parents in specified cases, perform annual risk assessments and submit independent child‑safety audits to regulators.
- The laws create new civil liability and fines for companies that negligently harm children, expand protections against AI‑generated sexual content involving minors, restrict targeted ads to children and regulate use of K‑12 data.
- Advocates praise the package as a response to teen mental‑health concerns and recent settlements with Meta, while digital‑rights groups warn of privacy, enforcement and access problems and legal challenges as rules take effect next year and in mid‑2027.