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Meta, Google and TikTok have filed separate lawsuits challenging California’s ban on personalised feeds and autoplay for minors.
What Does California’s New Social Media Law Prohibit?
California’s Assembly Bill 1709, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in September 2026, prohibits social media platforms from offering personalised feeds and autoplay features to users under 16, even with parental consent. The legislation is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027.
The law requires platforms to take reasonable measures to prevent minors from accessing these features and remove them from accounts belonging to affected users. Violations could attract penalties of up to $50,000 per affected user. The companies filed separate lawsuits against California Attorney General Rob Bonta on November 4, seeking to block enforcement.
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Why Are Google and Meta Challenging the Restrictions?
Google and YouTube argue that the legislation interferes with parental authority and restricts editorial decisions protected under the First Amendment. Google maintains that personalised recommendations help younger users discover relevant videos and that removing them could increase exposure to inappropriate material.
The company also cites Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, arguing that decisions concerning the recommendation and presentation of third-party content receive legal protection. Google says YouTube already disables autoplay by default for users under 18 and allows parents to disable it entirely for children under 13.
Meta similarly argues that California’s restrictions interfere with how Facebook, Instagram and Threads organise and distribute content. It considers the law excessively broad because it applies to every user under 16 regardless of individual circumstances. Meta also plans to introduce a default cumulative two-hour usage limit for minors on Facebook and Instagram, which parents or guardians could override.
What Legal Arguments Has TikTok Raised?
TikTok contends that its personalised For You feed constitutes protected expression because the platform selects and arranges videos for individual users. It argues that California has not sufficiently demonstrated that the restrictions are necessary to protect children.
The company also points to its existing Family Pairing feature, which allows parents to manage screen time, privacy settings and content restrictions. TikTok is separately challenging California’s Senate Bill 976, which restricts personalised feeds for users under 18 without parental consent. Its appeal in that case remains pending before the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Why Have Digital Rights Groups Raised Privacy Concerns?
The Electronic Frontier Foundation has warned that enforcing age-based restrictions could require platforms to collect additional personal information to verify users’ ages. It argues that such requirements could affect online privacy and anonymity for adults and children alike.
The organisation also maintains that limiting teenagers’ access to social media could restrict their ability to obtain information, participate in public discussions and organise collective activities.
The lawsuits arise amid wider scrutiny of online child safety. California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office said it was reviewing the legal challenges while remaining committed to defending the state’s legislation intended to protect children online.
