California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1709 on Thursday, prohibiting social media platforms from offering features designed to hook users under 16. The legislation, authored by Long Beach Assemblyman Josh Lowenthal, targets specific engagement mechanics that research suggests drive compulsive use among minors.
The law bars platforms from providing infinite scrolling and algorithmic autoplay to users under 16. California’s attorney general will have authority to define additional addictive features through future regulations. Platforms can still allow younger users to access their services if they remove these features from their experience.
Lowenthal, a Democrat whose district includes Long Beach, framed the measure as a necessary step to force social media companies toward safer, age-appropriate design. AB 1709 passed both houses without a dissenting vote, signaling broad legislative consensus around the issue.
A Targeted Approach to Platform Design
Rather than imposing a blanket ban on social media access for minors, the law takes aim at specific product features. Newsom emphasized this distinction Thursday, saying the measure addresses engineering choices rather than platform access itself.
“This is about the features themselves,” Newsom said. “This is about addressing the problem: the scrolling, the algorithms. This is about addressing the substantive issue around the engineering.”
The legislation also establishes an e-Safety Advisory Commission within the California Department of Justice to oversee implementation and guide officials on emerging online-safety threats. This layer allows the state to adapt regulations as platforms introduce new engagement mechanics.
Privacy Advocates Raise Compliance Concerns
The Electronic Frontier Foundation opposed AB 1709, arguing that compliance requirements could effectively block young users from major platforms. The digital-rights organization raised a specific concern about age verification, which platforms would need to conduct to determine which users qualify for feature restrictions.
Companies might employ verification systems requiring government identification or biometric data to comply with the law. This approach could create privacy risks for young people, the organization warned, calling the measure a “massive privacy and free speech nightmare.”
Newsom defended the law’s framework despite these concerns, suggesting that targeting features rather than access itself preserves both platform utility and user choice. The measure does not force platforms to ban minors outright, only to withhold specific engagement tools from them.
Building on Existing Protections
California already regulates addictive social media feeds for minors under the Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act, which requires parental consent for younger users to access addictive feeds. AB 1709 extends protections further by requiring covered platforms to withhold specified features from all users under 16, regardless of parental permission.
Lowenthal characterized the new laws signed Thursday as a starting point. “We’re laying the groundwork for what comes next,” he said. “Stronger protections. Smarter enforcement. More accountability for the platforms that have treated our children’s attention as a product to be mined.”
Newsom signed more than a dozen digital-safety measures the same day, including bills addressing AI-generated child sexual exploitation material and youth digital privacy protections. AB 1709 represents the most direct intervention into social media product design the state has attempted.
Frequently asked questions
What features does California's AB 1709 ban for users under 16?
The law prohibits infinite scrolling and algorithmic autoplay on social media platforms for users under 16, with the state attorney general authorized to define additional addictive features through regulations.
Does AB 1709 prevent minors from accessing social media entirely?
The law does not ban social media for young users. Platforms can continue serving minors if they remove the prohibited engagement features from their experience.
What privacy concerns did opponents raise about AB 1709?
The Electronic Frontier Foundation warned that age verification systems platforms might use to comply with the law could require government ID or biometric data, creating privacy risks for minors.
What is the e-Safety Advisory Commission established by AB 1709?
The commission operates within California’s Department of Justice to advise officials on implementation of the law and emerging online-safety issues as platforms introduce new engagement mechanics.
How does AB 1709 differ from California's existing social media regulation?
The existing Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act requires parental consent for minors to access addictive feeds. AB 1709 extends protections by requiring platforms to withhold specific features from all users under 16 regardless of parental permission.
