By Islam El-Sakka
Tech giants Google, Meta, and TikTok have filed separate lawsuits challenging a new California law designed to curb social media addiction among children under 16.
The legislation, Assembly Bill 1709, was signed by Governor Gavin Newsom on September 10 and takes effect January 1, 2027. It bars platforms from exposing minors to "psychologically exploitative features" such as algorithmic recommendations and autoplay videos, and requires removal of accounts that incorporate such tools.
In lawsuits filed Wednesday, the companies argue the statute compels them to follow California's preferred content display methods, overriding parental control, and violates First Amendment free speech protections as well as Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, the sole defendant tasked with enforcement, said Thursday his office is reviewing the challenges and remains committed to defending the law.
Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda said parents are best positioned to make decisions for their families, and that overly broad laws break systems designed to help kids find age-appropriate content.
Meta argued California cannot override its editorial judgments while leaving children free to spend unlimited time on other platforms offering similar services. TikTok said protected speech "cannot be suppressed solely to protect the young from ideas or images that a legislative body thinks unsuitable."
The Electronic Frontier Foundation called the law a "massive privacy and free speech nightmare." Other states and countries, including Australia, have imposed similar restrictions. Meta recently agreed to pay up to $18 billion and limit teen use under settlements with nearly all U.S. states.
The lawsuits were filed in federal courts in San Jose, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. The companies, along with Snapchat parent Snap, still face thousands of lawsuits alleging they sought to addict children and caused a mental health crisis.
