California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a package of 13 digital child safety bills that introduce strict limits on addictive platform design and interactions with artificial intelligence chatbots. Described by the Governor’s office as landmark bipartisan legislation, the measures strengthen California’s position in online youth protections. The legislative package is led by Assembly Bill 1709, which bars social media platforms from offering addictive features (such as infinite scroll and autoplay videos) to users under 16, alongside Assembly Bill 2 , which establishes financial penalties in civil lawsuits against platforms accused of harming young users.
By Digital Watch Observatory – California governor signs historical online child safety bill
