Meta, TikTok and Google sue over California youth law

Meta, TikTok and Google are seeking to block enforcement of a California law that would require online platforms to restrict “psychologically exploitative features” for users under age 16.

The companies filed separate lawsuits arguing that the restrictions violate the First Amendment and Section 230 protections for online providers, according to Reuters.

What the California law requires

Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1709 into law on Sept. 10. It is scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1.

The law covers addictive feeds, endless scrolling, autoplay and their functional equivalents. Its definition also includes features that learn from user information or behavior to prolong engagement with a website, online service or application.

Platforms operating in California would be required to restrict these features for users under 16.

Companies challenge state control over content

According to Reuters, the companies argue that the law improperly forces them to follow California’s preferred methods of presenting content to children and substitutes the state’s judgment for that of parents.

Their lawsuits challenge the state’s authority to impose those operating restrictions, arguing that they infringe on users’ rights and protections for online providers.

The challenge follows other legal proceedings over social media harms. In August, Meta agreed to pay more than $18 billion to settle a separate lawsuit and implement new restrictions on teen social media use.