Meta, Google and TikTok Sue to Block California Teen Social Media Law
Meta, Google and TikTok sue to block California's AB 1709, which restricts feeds and autoplay for under 16s and threatens fines up to $50,000 per child.
Summary
By November 6, 2026, Meta, Google and TikTok had each sued California Attorney General Rob Bonta to block AB 1709. Governor Gavin Newsom signed the measure in September, and it is scheduled to take effect at the start of 2027. It bars platforms from giving users under 16 autoplay video or personalized feeds and requires deletion of minors' accounts unless those features are disabled, with noncompliance carrying fines up to $50,000 per affected child.
The companies argue AB 1709 violates the First Amendment by dictating content presentation, is preempted by Section 230, disrupts parental choices and could effectively exclude minors from their services. Google says YouTube already turns autoplay off by default for minors and lets parents disable Shorts. Bonta's office is reviewing the complaints and says it will defend California's child protection laws.
Electronic Frontier Foundation Associate Director of State Affairs Rindala Alajaji says age verification would force platforms to collect more data from every user, weakening privacy and anonymity while concentrating tech company power. She also warns that excluding under 16s could restrict information, experiences and youth activism, citing Parkland survivors' March for Our Lives and Greta Thunberg's climate campaigning. Australia enacted the first complete under 16 social media ban in December 2025, while France's top court struck down a similar law over free expression. Meta separately agreed to pay up to $18 billion to settle child safety claims from 29 U.S. states.
Positives
- AB 1709 targets autoplay and personalized feeds for users under 16, features California considers harmful to children.
- YouTube disables autoplay for minors by default and allows parents to block their teenagers' access to Shorts.
- March for Our Lives and Greta Thunberg's reach demonstrate social media's role in youth activism, according to Rindala Alajaji.
- Rob Bonta's office is reviewing the lawsuits and remains committed to defending California's online child protection laws.
Risks & concerns
- AB 1709 exposes platforms to fines of up to $50,000 for every affected user under 16.
- Meta, Google and TikTok argue the law violates the First Amendment, conflicts with Section 230 and overrides parental decisions.
- Age checks could require collecting more information from every user, reducing privacy and online anonymity for adults and minors.
- Required feature restrictions or account deletion could cut teenagers off from information, communities and digital activism.
- Meta separately faces an agreement to pay up to $18 billion over child safety claims brought by 29 U.S. states.