California Cracks Down on Addictive Feeds for Children

California Cracks Down on Addictive Feeds for Children
California has moved to curb some of the internet’s most habit-forming features for children, as Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a package of online-safety measures aimed at social media platforms and AI chatbot developers.

At the center is AB 1709, which bars platforms from giving users under 16 algorithmic recommendations, infinite scroll or autoplay unless a parent has consented. The law targets design choices that can keep young users scrolling, shifting responsibility from families toward the companies that build and deploy those systems.

The wider legislative package raises the stakes for major social-media firms. Companies found negligent in harming children through their platforms could face penalties of up to $1 million per child. It also prohibits tech businesses from offering addictive feeds to anyone under 16, reinforcing California’s view that engagement-driven products warrant special safeguards for minors.

The measures extend beyond conventional social networks. Before releasing AI chatbots, operators will be required to conduct risk assessments, while chatbot makers must tell young users that they are not speaking to a human.

Taken together, the laws treat social feeds and conversational AI as related youth-safety challenges: one can pull children deeper into an endless stream of content, while the other can blur the line between a machine and a trusted person. California’s answer is not an outright ban on either technology, but a demand for parental permission, clearer disclosure and greater corporate accountability.

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