Tech Giants Challenge New California Child Safety Law

Google, Meta, and TikTok filed separate lawsuits in federal courts across California on Thursday, seeking to block a state law designed to protect children from social media harms. The companies argue the measure violates their First Amendment rights and existing federal protections.

The law, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in September, is scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, 2027. It prohibits tech companies from offering addictive feeds, endless scrolling, and autoplayed videos to users under 16. The statute also requires firms to implement reasonable measures to verify user ages so that minors do not access these features.

In addition to constitutional claims, the tech firms contend the law conflicts with Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act. That federal provision shields platforms from liability for content posted by third parties. The lawsuits were filed in federal courts in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Jose.

TikTok described the legislation as a blatantly unconstitutional restriction on free expression. The company stated that the law erodes the long-standing practice of curating content based on user preferences, a method used by bookstores, TV networks, and streaming services. TikTok noted it has already implemented numerous safety measures and argued the law disregards real progress in making teens safer online.

Meta claimed the law violates the First Amendment by allowing the government to dictate how ideas are organized, displayed, or shared with Californians. The company said it would be forced to either remove features that keep teen experiences age-appropriate or cut thousands of California teens off from their family and friends. Meta added that the law takes away parents' rights to determine what is appropriate for their children.

Google said it believes parents are in the best position to make decisions for their families. The company offered a range of parental control tools and protections. Spokesman José Castañeda said overly broad laws like this actually break the systems built to help kids find high-quality, age-appropriate videos.

The office of California Attorney General Rob Bonta said it was reviewing the filings and committed to defending state laws that protect kids online. These legal challenges arrive as tech companies face increasing scrutiny over platform harms. In August, Meta agreed to pay up to $18 billion and add stronger child-safety measures to Facebook and Instagram as part of a settlement ending a trial over teen addiction. TikTok settled with Alabama in September over similar features.