Meta, Google and TikTok sue California attorney general over teen social media law
The three tech giants are challenging California's AB 1709 in court. The law restricts autoplay video and personalized feeds for users under 16, and the companies argue it violates free speech.
Meta, Google and TikTok have each filed lawsuits against California Attorney General Rob Bonta, seeking to block a state law that restricts social media features deemed addictive for users under 16. The law, known as AB 1709, is due to take effect at the start of the new year and is a major test of how far states can regulate platforms' treatment of minors.
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the bill in September. It bans platforms from offering autoplay videos and personalized feeds to users under 16, and requires them to delete the accounts of those users if the features are not turned off. Violations could bring fines of up to $50,000 per affected user under 16.
The companies' arguments
Meta says the law violates the First Amendment to the US Constitution, which protects free speech, by overriding its editorial decisions on how content is displayed, and argues that Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act preempts it. TikTok and Google made similar arguments. A TikTok spokesperson called the law a blatantly unconstitutional restriction on free expression. Google noted that autoplay on YouTube is off by default for minors, and that parents can switch off their teens' access to Shorts, its short-video feature, entirely.
Criticism and wider context
Digital safety experts often warn that such laws can compromise the privacy of all users, including adults, because they require age verification that collects more data. Rindala Alajaji, associate director of state affairs at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), a digital rights group, said the law forces platforms to gather even more information and amounts to a functional ban on social media for under-16s.
In December 2025, Australia became the first country to ban social media for users under 16 altogether. France passed a similar law, but its top court struck it down over concerns about free expression rights. Meta has also agreed to pay up to $18 billion to settle children's safety claims brought by 29 US states.
A representative for Attorney General Bonta said his office is reviewing the filings and is committed to defending California's laws protecting kids online.
