Newsom Signs 13 Bills Regulating Social Media and AI for Minors

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a package of laws regulating social-media platforms and artificial-intelligence chatbots used by minors. One measure bars platforms from providing users under 16 with features such as algorithmic feeds, autoplay and infinite scrolling that lawmakers say can encourage compulsive use, while allowing accounts to remain active if those features are disabled. Supporters say the law targets engagement-driven design rather than social media broadly, but critics including the Electronic Frontier Foundation warn it could restrict young people’s online access and prompt intrusive age-verification systems. Another law imposes child-safety requirements on companion chatbots, including annual risk assessments, safeguards for self-harm discussions, parental controls, usage limits and notifications when a linked account signals a substantial risk of harm. The package is part of California’s broader effort to protect children online, though technology companies and privacy advocates have raised concerns about enforcement, free speech and data collection.