Google, Meta and TikTok sue California over law limiting addictive feeds for kids
The law, set to take effect Jan. 1, 2027, bars addictive feeds, endless scrolling and autoplay for users under 16 and claims First Amendment violations.
Google, Meta, and TikTok each filed separate lawsuits to block a California law aimed at protecting children from social media harms. The companies argue the law violates their First Amendment rights. The suits were filed in federal courts in San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Jose.
The law, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in September, is scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, 2027. It bans addictive feeds, endless scrolling, and autoplay videos for users under 16 and requires companies to take "reasonable measures" to verify ages. Along with the First Amendment, the companies say the law conflicts with Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act, which protects platforms from liability for third-party posts.
The lawsuits come amid growing scrutiny of how platforms affect children, including thousands of suits from schools, governments, and individuals. In August, Meta agreed to pay up to $18 billion and add child-safety measures to settle a teen social media addiction case brought by nearly every state. In September, TikTok settled with Alabama over addictive features. California Attorney General Rob Bonta's office, the defendant in each suit, said it is reviewing the filings and will defend the state's laws.
Key points
- Google, Meta and TikTok filed separate suits in federal courts in California.
- The law bans addictive feeds, endless scrolling and autoplay for users under 16.
- The companies argue it violates the First Amendment and Section 230.
- The law is scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, 2027.
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