Google, Meta and TikTok sue California over social media law for under-16s
The companies argue the law violates free speech rights, and California's attorney general's office says it is reviewing the suits.
Google, Meta and TikTok filed separate federal lawsuits against California on Wednesday to block Assembly Bill 1709, a state law that bars social media platforms from offering "addictive features" to users under 16. The law covers features such as autoplay and personalized feeds. Google sued in San Jose, Meta in San Francisco and TikTok in Los Angeles.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the law on Sept. 10. It is set to take effect Jan. 1, 2027, unless a judge strikes it down or pauses it. The companies argue the law violates the and Section 230 of the federal Communications Decency Act.
Meta says California cannot override its editorial judgments about how to display posts. TikTok calls the law "a blatantly unconstitutional restriction on free expression." Google spokesperson José Castañeda said parents are best placed to decide for their families.
California Rob Bonta is the defendant. His office said on Thursday that it is reviewing the filings and is "committed to defending California's commonsense laws to protect kids online." The New York Post reports that platforms must verify ages and delete under-16 accounts unless those accounts lack such features.
It says a knowing violation can bring a fine of up to $50,000 for each affected minor, and a negligent one $25,000.
- up to $50,000 per affected minor penalty for knowing violations, as reported by the New York Post — New York Post
- $25,000 penalty for negligent violations, as reported by the New York Post — New York Post
- under 16 age of users the law covers — ABC News
Three sides of the story
Liberal4 outlets
a child-protection law and the First Amendment challenge
ABC News carries the Associated Press report, which opens with the three companies seeking to block a California law "designed to protect children from social media harm," then gives each company's statement in turn. The Guardian's headline calls it a law "protecting children from addiction risk," and it quotes the attorney general's office saying it is "committed to defending California's commonsense laws." It also reports that parents in California sued Google on Thursday over its AI mode.
The Independent and the Guardian both include the Electronic Frontier Foundation calling the law "a massive privacy and free speech nightmare." The Los Angeles Times brings in the bill's author, Democratic Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal, who calls autoplay and similar features "harmful, full stop." It adds that tech industry groups opposed the bill, and it sets the suits beside earlier settlements and a Los Angeles jury verdict against Instagram and YouTube.
- ABC News: Companies sue California over law designed to protect children from social media harm
- The Guardian (US): Google, Meta and TikTok sue California to block law protecting children from addiction risk
- The Independent (US): Google, Meta and TikTok sue California over its child safety social media law
- Los Angeles Times: Social media companies sue California over new law restricting use for children
Center3 outlets
the companies' legal arguments and Bonta's response
Courthouse News reports Meta's complaint saying the law would "appoint the state as the editor, curator, and controller of online speech." It says TikTok argues it could serve California users aged 13 to 16 only by building "a fundamentally different offering." Google says autoplay helps users watch videos designed to be seen "in a sequence."
The outlet notes that all three suits ask a court to bar Bonta from enforcing the law, and that a federal judge denied the companies' request to block a related law, SB 976, in August. The Seattle Times runs the Associated Press report, the same text ABC News carries. It centers on each company's statement and on Bonta's office saying it is reviewing the filings.
The Hill reports that Meta, TikTok and Google filed separate lawsuits over child online safety restrictions, arguing the law violates their First Amendment rights.
Conservative3 outlets
the law's penalties and the companies' editorial-control argument
The New York Post's story is built around the three suits against Attorney General Rob Bonta. Its opening line says the companies argue California wants to act as "editor, curator and parent" for young users. It reports that the attorney general or local prosecutors can seek fines of as much as $50,000 for each affected minor when a violation is knowing, and $25,000 when it is negligent.
It notes that AB 1709 has no parental-consent exception, unlike SB 976. It quotes TikTok describing the law's effect on teen accounts as "a choice between the rock and the whirlpool." The Post also says Meta plans parent-controlled defaults for California teens, including a two-hour daily cap.
Breitbart News, under a headline about a "Teen Social Media Addiction Law," draws on the Post's report and quotes the complaints at length, including YouTube's line that "Twenty million new videos are uploaded to YouTube every day." Just the News, citing the Los Angeles Times, says the law bans features such as autoplay and recommended content. It adds Google's statement that it has already restricted some features for minors, and that Snapchat reached a settlement in a related case brought by two teens.
- New York Post: Meta, Google and TikTok sue California to block law shielding children from ‘addictive’ algorithms
- Breitbart News: Meta, Google and Tiktok Sue California to Block Teen Social Media Addiction Law
- Just the News: Social media companies sue California over law restricting use for children over addiction claims
Which side made the stronger case?
- Liberal outlets did not mentionA knowing violation can bring a fine of up to $50,000 for each affected minor, and a negligent one $25,000. Reported by New York Post, Breitbart News
- Conservative outlets did not mentionIn August, Meta agreed to pay up to $18 billion to settle claims by nearly every state over harm to teens. Reported by The Seattle Times, ABC News, The Guardian (US), The Independent (US)
- Size of Meta's August settlement with states
- ABC News: up to $18 billion
- Los Angeles Times: up to $17 billion
For California families, the law is set to take effect Jan. 1, 2027, if no judge blocks it first, according to the Guardian and The Independent. The New York Post reports that platforms must verify ages and delete under-16 accounts unless features such as personalized feeds and autoplay are removed. Meta says it would have to remove features or cut off thousands of California teens from family and friends. Gov. Gavin Newsom says California "will not stand by while unregulated technology puts our children at risk."
All sources: 10 articles from 10 outlets
Liberal (4)
- ABC News: Companies sue California over law designed to protect children from social media harm
- Los Angeles Times: Social media companies sue California over new law restricting use for children
- The Guardian (US): Google, Meta and TikTok sue California to block law protecting children from addiction risk
- The Independent (US): Google, Meta and TikTok sue California over its child safety social media law
Center (3)
- Courthouse News: Social media companies sue California over protections for kids
- The Hill: Meta, TikTok, Google sue California over child online safety restrictions
- The Seattle Times: Google, Meta and TikTok sue California over law designed to protect children from social media harms
Conservative (3)
- Breitbart News: Meta, Google and Tiktok Sue California to Block Teen Social Media Addiction Law
- Just the News: Social media companies sue California over law restricting use for children over addiction claims
- New York Post: Meta, Google and TikTok sue California to block law shielding children from ‘addictive’ algorithms
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