California AB 1709 addictive feeds and under-16 age restriction (2026)

California — AB 1709: Social Media Companies Must Strip Addictive Features Such as Infinite Scroll and Autoplay for Users Under 16 or Exclude Them Entirely, and May Not Offer Algorithmic Feeds to Under-16s — Signed Over EFF's First Amendment Objection (September 10, 2026)
California · Cal. A.B. 1709 (2025-2026 Reg. Sess.), Stats. 2026, ch. 183 — Covered platforms: age restriction: e-Safety Advisory Commission; adds Bus. & Prof. Code § 22682 et seq. and Gov. Code § 11530 et seq.

Status
Enacted (not yet in effect)
Takes effect
January 1, 2027
Applies to
Social media companies and covered platforms serving California users under 16 — required either to strip infinite scroll, autoplay and algorithmic feeds for those users or to exclude them
Enforced by
California state enforcement; e-Safety Advisory Commission established by the Act

California Assembly Bill 1709 bars covered platforms — social media and similar apps and websites — from giving users under 16 any 'addictive feature': a personalized, engagement-driven feed, autoplay, or any other feature the Attorney General defines by regulation. Platforms must verify ages and take reasonable measures to keep these features away from under-16s. A platform can still let under-16s have accounts if those accounts have no addictive features; otherwise it must delete under-16 accounts and their personal information. The Attorney General or a local prosecutor can sue for up to $50,000 per affected child for knowing violations ($25,000 if negligent). The law also creates a seven-member, purely advisory e-Safety Advisory Commission. Governor Newsom signed it on September 10, 2026 (Chapter 183); as a regular statute it takes effect January 1, 2027. The Electronic Frontier Foundation opposed it, arguing it works as a social media ban for under-16s and violates the First Amendment — while supporting two digital-literacy bills (AB 2071 and AB 2298) signed in the same package. No court challenge had been located as of late September 2026.

Who is protected: California users under 16, as the bill's stated beneficiaries; per EFF, the same population's expressive access is what the measure burdens

Legal detail

AB 1709 (Stats. 2026, ch. 183), signed September 10, 2026. Adds Bus. & Prof. Code ch. 22.9 (§§ 22682-22686): 'addictive feature' = (1) an addictive feed (media recommended, selected or prioritized based on information associated with the user or device, subject to enumerated exceptions), (2) autoplay, or (3) any feature the AG defines by regulation. § 22683: a covered platform shall not provide an addictive feature to a user under 16 and must implement reasonable measures to ensure under-16s are not provided one; under-16 accounts without addictive features are permitted. § 22684: before providing an addictive feature the platform must verify age under the Digital Age Assurance Act (Civ. Code § 1798.500 et seq.), falling back on the Health & Safety Code § 27001 age determination; it must delete under-16 accounts and associated personal information unless it runs them without addictive features. § 22685: AG may adopt regulations and alter the scope of 'covered platform'. § 22686: enforcement only by civil action by the AG or a local public prosecutor; civil penalty up to $50,000 per affected minor (knowing) or $25,000 per affected minor (negligent), weighted by platform size, severity/duration and good-faith compliance. Adds Gov. Code ch. 5.4 (§ 11530 et seq.): independent, purely advisory seven-member e-Safety Advisory Commission within DOJ for administrative purposes (4 Governor, 1 Senate Pro Tem, 1 Speaker, 1 AG appointees), annual report to Legislature and Governor by January 1. Non-urgency with no operative-date clause, so effective January 1, 2027. EFF characterises the law as functioning as an under-16 social media ban and argues it violates the First Amendment; it supported AB 2071 and AB 2298 in the same signing package.

Key facts

JurisdictionCalifornia
LevelState
StrengthStronger
EnactedSeptember 10, 2026
CitationCal. A.B. 1709 (2025-2026 Reg. Sess.), Stats. 2026, ch. 183 — Covered platforms: age restriction: e-Safety Advisory Commission; adds Bus. & Prof. Code § 22682 et seq. and Gov. Code § 11530 et seq.
Private right of actionNo, agency enforcement only
PenaltiesCivil penalty up to $50,000 per affected minor for a knowing violation and up to $25,000 per affected minor for a negligent violation; enforced only by civil action brought by the Attorney General or a local public prosecutor.
Topicschildren's online safety · consumer protection · automated decision-making · consumer data privacy
Bill textCA California AB 1709 addictive feeds and under-16 age restriction (2026) — official record (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov)

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