Google, Meta and TikTok Sue to Block California Youth Protection Law

Google, Meta, and TikTok have filed separate lawsuits to block California’s Assembly Bill 1709, a law that restricts how social media platforms deliver content to children under 16. The law bars platforms from offering underage users features the state considers psychologically exploitative, including personalized recommendations and autoplay video, and requires the deletion of children’s accounts that use those features.

Personalized recommendations and autoplay are the primary mechanisms YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok use to distribute content in their feeds. Governor Gavin Newsom signed the law on September 10, and it takes effect January 1, 2027, unless a court blocks it.

The companies argue the law violates First Amendment free speech protections and Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, and that it replaces parents’ judgment with the state’s. Meta said California cannot override its editorial decisions about how to curate and display posts. Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda said the law would “break the systems we’ve built to help kids find high-quality, age-appropriate videos.” The Electronic Frontier Foundation also opposes the law.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office said it is reviewing the lawsuits and is committed to defending the state’s laws protecting children online.

The suits also follow Australia’s proposed Digital Duty of Care legislation, which would require social media platforms to let users switch off engagement-based algorithmic feeds and which Federal US officials have formally opposed. Also underway is Meta’s August agreement to pay up to $18 billion and limit teenagers’ use of Facebook and Instagram under settlements with nearly all US states. Google, Meta, TikTok, and Snap still face thousands of lawsuits alleging they designed their platforms to addict children.

Full story: Reuters

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