Governor Gavin Newsom signed a package of legislation strengthening California's rules for children's use of online technology, including the nation's strongest chatbot safety law and restrictions on social media features for users under 16.
The new laws require companion chatbots to include crisis protocols for children showing signs of suicidal ideation, parental controls, and notifications if a child disables safety settings. The bills also mandate that companies conduct independent child safety audits and annual risk assessments—requirements the state described as the first of their kind in the country.
Additional legislation prohibits social media platforms from offering addictive features such as autoplay and algorithmic feeds based on user history and profile to users under 16. The bills also expand the definition of child sexual exploitation to include digitally altered or artificial intelligence-generated material depicting children engaged in sexual conduct.
The legislation also imposes privacy protections for children, restricting targeted advertising and regulating the use of student data in artificial intelligence systems. The new protections build on California's existing online safety framework, which previously included age verification requirements and other restrictions on social media and AI use by minors.