Meta, Google, and TikTok have each filed lawsuits against California Attorney General Rob Bonta in an attempt to block a law that restricts social media features it deems addictive for users under 16. California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the bill, known as AB 1709, into law in September, and it’s slated to take effect at the start of the new year. The law prohibits social platforms from offering autoplay videos and personalized feeds to users under 16, and it requires the platforms to delete these users’ accounts if they don’t turn those features off.
If platforms do not comply, they could be liable for fines of up to $50,000 per affected user under 16 years old. Meta claims that AB 1709 violates the First Amendment by overriding its editorial decisions about how to display content, adding that Section 230 preempts the law. TikTok and Google made similar arguments.
In an emailed statement, a TikTok spokesperson added, “AB 1709 is a blatantly unconstitutional restriction on free expression that erodes the long-standing and protected practice of curating content based on user preferences, which book stores, TV networks and streaming services all use.” AB 1709 follows a trend of legislation around the world that seeks to curb teen social media use in an attempt to improve teen mental health outcomes. However, digital safety experts often caution against these laws because they can inadvertently compromise the privacy of all platform users, including adults, by requiring age verification checks that collect more user data. These platforms are primed to fight this California law as they navigate similar legal battles in various countries.
That’s especially true for Meta, which agreed to pay a settlement of up to $18 billion to resolve children’s safety claims brought by 29 U.S. states — In December 2025, Australia became the first country to ban social media for users under 16 altogether. France passed a similar law, but its top court struck it down, citing concerns about violations of free expression rights. These platforms also argue that the law would affect parents’ ability to make decisions about their teens’ internet use through parental controls.
A Google spokesperson noted that autoplay on YouTube is turned off for minors by default, and that parents have the ability to turn off their teens’ access to Shorts altogether.
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