California Bans Addictive Social Media Feeds, Regulates AI Chatbots for Minors
California’s laws banning addictive social media feeds and regulating AI chatbots take effect September 10, 2026.
Why it matters: These laws set a precedent for digital child safety, affecting tech compliance and product design nationwide. Legal teams must understand new obligations and risks tied to minor users.
- Governor Gavin Newsom signed the laws into effect on September 10, 2026.
- Social media platforms must disable addictive features like autoplay and algorithmic recommendations for users under 16.
- AI chatbot operators must conduct risk assessments and implement safety measures for crisis situations, parental controls, and notifications if settings are changed.
- Penalties reach up to $1 million per affected child for violations, including harm caused by addictive design or AI misuse.
- Law expands child sexual exploitation definitions to include AI-generated explicit material involving minors and restricts targeted ads and use of K-12 data in AI.
On September 10, 2026, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law a package designed to protect minors from harmful digital content, focusing on addictive social media features and AI chatbots. The laws prohibit social media platforms from using autoplay and algorithmic content recommendations for children under 16 — features known to encourage excessive use by exploiting addictive behavioral patterns.
AI chatbot makers face new requirements before launching products accessible to minors. They must conduct thorough risk assessments—evaluations identifying possible harms such as exposure to suicide ideation—and deploy crisis protocols, including intervention processes when users exhibit signs of self-harm, parental control options, and automatic notifications if children disable safety features. This legislation, sometimes called "Adam's Law," responds to events including the tragic suicide of Adam Raine, which drew attention to AI chatbot safety.
Further protections affect child privacy and exploitation laws: the legal scope now includes AI-generated sexually explicit images involving minors, reflecting concerns about the misuse of synthetic media under the expanded child sexual exploitation definition. The law also bans targeted advertising towards minors on these platforms and tightly controls the use of K-12 student data within AI training and operations.
Additionally, families may opt out of school-issued laptops under the statute, addressing worries about children's unrestricted technology access. Governor Newsom stated, Our children’s safety deserves to be at the center of every conversation about technology. As innovation moves faster, our protections must keep pace.
Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, the bill’s sponsor, added, We owe our children a safer digital world.
These laws build on California’s 2024 Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act (SB 976), signaling a broader trend toward regulating the digital environments of minors. Legal and compliance teams advising tech companies should prepare for significant enforcement risks. Independent reporting confirms these laws represent some of the strongest digital child safety measures in the nation.
By the numbers:
- $1 million per child — maximum penalty for harm due to addictive features or AI misuse
- September 10, 2026 — effective date of the new California laws
- 2024 — year California passed the Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act (SB 976)
Yes, but: Enforcement details remain unclear, as state agencies have yet to define precise oversight responsibilities or develop complaint investigation procedures, potentially delaying practical impact.
What's next: California agencies are expected to issue guidance and enforcement rules by mid-2027, clarifying compliance requirements and agency jurisdiction.