California Bill Seeking to Ban Social Media Accounts for Under-16s Advances to State Senate
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Key Takeaways
- California Social Media Ban Advances: California social media ban bill passed Assembly, moving to Senate review.
- Age Verification Requirements: Platforms must verify ages and prevent users under 16 from holding accounts.
- Expanded Oversight Powers: Bill creates advisory commission and allows broader platform definitions without legislative approval.
A California bill that would prevent children under the age of 16 from creating or maintaining social media accounts has cleared the State Assembly and is now headed to the Senate for further consideration.
Assembly Bill (AB) 1709 passed the Assembly on May 28 with a unanimous 76-0 vote. The proposal aims to restrict access to social media platforms for users under 16 and requires platforms to take steps to enforce the age limit.
The legislation was introduced by Assemblyman Josh Lowenthal, who argues that social media companies have designed products in ways that negatively affect young users. Speaking about the bill, Lowenthal said social media is “wreaking havoc on the minds of our youth” and accused platforms of using features that contribute to addiction, depression, and, in some cases, more serious harms.
According to the bill's text, California has a “compelling interest” in protecting children and teenagers from products that it says are designed to take advantage of developmental vulnerabilities.
Age Verification Would Be Central to Enforcement
To prevent users under 16 from opening accounts, platforms would first need a way to determine a user's age. In practice, that means every person attempting to sign up for a platform would need to go through some form of age verification, regardless of whether they are a minor or an adult.
The legislation states that a covered platform would be prohibited from allowing users under 16 to create or maintain accounts. It would also be required to implement “reasonable measures” to stop underage users from accessing or using accounts.
AB 1709 defines a covered platform as a website, application, or online service that makes so-called “addictive features” available to users under 16. Examples include features such as endless scrolling, autoplay functions, and notifications.
The bill also builds on California's Digital Age Assurance Act, which is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027. Under that law, applications would request age-range information from a device's operating system when they are downloaded and launched.
AB 1709 would connect social media access to that framework. As a result, age verification would become integrated into the process that occurs before a user can access an app, rather than relying on a simple age confirmation screen.
Privacy and Data Collection Concerns Remain Part of the Discussion
Age assurance systems often rely on methods such as government ID uploads, facial scans, or other signals that can be used to confirm a person's age. Critics of such systems argue that proving age can effectively require users to verify their identity.
The bill includes restrictions on how age verification information can be handled. Data collected for age assurance purposes must be retained only for the minimum period necessary to complete verification, cannot be used for advertising, profiling, or algorithmic recommendation purposes, and must be protected with reasonable security measures.
However, questions remain about how terms such as “reasonable” and “minimum” would ultimately be interpreted by companies and regulators responsible for implementing the law.
Some privacy advocates have also raised concerns about the broader collection and storage of identity-related information. They argue that increasing the volume of sensitive personal data held by private companies could create additional risks if that information is later exposed through security breaches.
Bill Would Create New Oversight Commission
AB 1709 would also establish an e-Safety Advisory Commission within the California Department of Justice. The commission would advise the state's Attorney General on issues related to enforcement, age verification technologies, and online safety.
The proposed body would be required to submit annual reports to both the Governor and the Legislature by January 1 each year.
One provision in the bill would allow the Attorney General, in consultation with the e-Safety Advisory Commission, to modify the definition of a “covered platform.” This could enable the scope of the law to expand to additional services if state officials determine that those services provide addictive features to users under 16.
As a result, systems originally designed to restrict access to major social media platforms could potentially be applied to smaller online communities, forums, or niche applications in the future, depending on how the definition evolves.
With California often serving as a model for digital regulation in other states, the progress of AB 1709 is likely to be closely watched as lawmakers continue debating the balance between child safety, online access, privacy, and age verification requirements.
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