CaliforniaCalifornia bars covered platforms from giving addictive features to users under 16
What it does
Existing law, the Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act, prohibits an operator of an addictive internet-based service or application from providing an addictive feed, as defined, to a user unless the operator does not have actual knowledge that the user is a minor, as specified, or the operator has obtained verifiable parental consent to provide an addictive feed to the user who is a minor.
More detail
Existing law, the Digital Age Assurance Act, beginning January 1, 2027, requires a person who owns, maintains, or controls a software application, as defined, to request age bracket data sent by a real-time secure application programming interface or operating system with respect to a particular user from an operating system provider or a covered application store when the application is downloaded and launched.
This bill would prohibit a covered platform, as defined, from providing an addictive feature, as defined, to a user who is under 16 years of age and would require a covered platform to implement reasonable measures to ensure that users under 16 years of age are not offered or provided any addictive feature on the covered platform. The bill would also authorize the Attorney General to adopt regulations to implement and enforce the bill in order to further the purpose of protecting minors online, including by altering the scope of "covered platform" if the Attorney General determines that doing so is necessary to ensure that "covered platform" applies to internet websites, online services, online applications, or mobile applications that make addictive features, as defined, available to users under 16 years of age.
This bill would impose a civil penalty upon a noncompliant platform and would require its provisions to be enforced by a civil action brought only by the Attorney General or a local public prosecutor, as specified.
This bill would also establish the e-Safety Advisory Commission within the Department of Justice as an independent advisory body that is only for administrative purposes to advise state government on certain matters related to online safety and would require the commission to, on or before January 1 of each year, report to the Legislature and the Governor on, among other things, its activities under the bill.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 10Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 183, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 10Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 9Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 1 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 31Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 7003.).Major
- Vote recorded AB 1709 Lowenthal Concurrence in Senate Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading AB1709 Lowenthal et al. By Stern. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 31In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Aug 31Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.).Passed Senate
- Aug 30Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 28Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.Major
- Aug 17Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 13Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 13From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 4. Noes 0.) (August 13).Major
- Aug 3In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Jul 9Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Major
- Jul 9From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (June 30).Major
- Jun 30
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 23From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (June 22). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.Minor
- Jun 22
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary]. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 10Referred to Coms. on P., D.T., & C.P. and JUD.Minor
- Jun 1In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- May 28Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 76. Noes 0. Page 5532.)Passed Assembly
- Vote recorded AB 1709 Lowenthal Assembly Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- May 18Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 14From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 13. Noes 1.) (May 14).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
- May 14Joint Rule 62(a), file notice suspended. (Page 5030.)
- May 13In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Apr 27Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Apr 23Read second time and amended.Major
- Apr 22From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (April 21).Major
- Apr 21
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 16From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 13. Noes 1.) (April 16). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary]. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 15Re-referred to Com. on P. & C.P.Minor
- Apr 14From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on P. & C.P. Read second time and amended.Major
- Mar 23Re-referred to Com. on P. & C.P.Minor
- Mar 19From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on P. & C.P. Read second time and amended.Major
- Mar 19Referred to Coms. on P. & C.P. and JUD.Minor
- Feb 5From printer. May be heard in committee March 7.
- Feb 4Read first time. To print.Introduced