Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, has signed 13 new laws focused on protecting children from the dangers of technology.
In addition to social networks, this package also targets AI chatbots, AI-enabled toys, and sexual content generated by AI.
According to ITNA, the most important part of this legislative package prohibits social networks from displaying certain features known as “psychological exploitation” for users under 16. Features such as infinite scroll and algorithmic autoplay of content are among the capabilities the new law targets for this age group.
The aim of this law is to counter designs that, by continuously increasing user engagement, push them toward compulsive and prolonged use of the platform.
This approach represents a major shift in technology policy; lawmakers no longer consider only inappropriate content to be the problem, but also view the architecture and product design itself as part of the technology’s risk.
Another important part of this package is the regulations related to AI chatbots.
Under the new laws, companies providing chatbots must put special safety measures in place for underage users and have specified risk assessments and control mechanisms.
Some of these regulations include parental controls, safety assessments, and emergency response mechanisms.
One of these laws, named the “Adam Law,” commemorates Adam Rine, a 16-year-old who died after interacting with ChatGPT. This law seeks to place greater responsibility on chatbot providers and requires them to establish safety protocols for sensitive situations.
California has also banned the manufacture and sale of toys equipped with AI chatbots for four years.
Lawmakers worry that such products could interact with children without sufficient oversight or collect data about them.
The new laws also impose stricter measures concerning sexual content generated by AI.
Under one of the provisions, the scope of criminal penalties related to sexual abuse content of children has been expanded to include manipulated or AI-generated images that depict persons under 18 in sexual situations.
The importance of this legislative package becomes clearer when we know that technology companies in recent months have faced increasing pressure over the effects of their products on children’s mental health. For example, Meta recently reached agreements with U.S. states over cases related to the addictiveness of its platforms for up to $18 billion and agreed to impose additional restrictions on how teenagers use its services.
According to nbcnews, these laws also have opponents. Digital rights groups have warned that broad restrictions could harm privacy, freedom of expression, and teenagers’ access to online communities-especially if enforcement leads to widespread age verification mechanisms or increased data collection about users.
Nonetheless, California’s action shows that tech regulation in the United States has entered a new phase; a phase in which technology companies will face greater legal responsibility not only for the content on their platforms but also for algorithm design, interactive features, and how AI products operate.