Google, Meta and TikTok sued California over a children's social media law
Google, Meta and TikTok filed separate lawsuits Wednesday to block a new California law restricting personalized recommendations and autoplay for users under 16. The companies argue it violates the First Amendment and Section 230. California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office said it was reviewing the suits and is committed to defending the law.
More context
Google, Meta and TikTok filed separate lawsuits against California on Wednesday, seeking to block a law restricting social media features for children younger than 16. Assembly Bill 1709 bars platforms from offering features such as personalized recommendations and autoplay that could lead to compulsive use, and requires deletion of children’s accounts with those features. The companies argue the law violates the First Amendment and Section 230 of the federal Communications Decency Act. Meta said the law would force it either to remove features it says help keep teens’ experiences age-appropriate or to cut thousands of California teens off from family, friends and communities. The law is set to take effect Jan. 1, 2027. A spokesperson for California Attorney General Rob Bonta said the office was reviewing the filings and was committed to defending the state’s laws protecting children online.
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Reporting
- Associated Press — Google, Meta, TikTok challenge California law on kids' social media use | AP News
- The Hill — Meta, TikTok, Google sue California over child online safety law
- Los Angeles Times — Meta and social media companies sue California over new restrictions - Los Angeles Times
- The New York Times — Google, Meta and TikTok Sue California Over Ban on Features for ...
- The Guardian — Google, Meta and TikTok sue California to block law protecting ...
- Insurance Journal — Google, Meta, TikTok Sue to Block California Youth Social Media Law
Verifier’s note
The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, Insurance Journal, The New York Times, The Guardian, and the Associated Press report that Meta, TikTok, and Google challenged California’s law restricting features used by children on social media. The reports are current and consistent with the proposed event.