Meta, Google, and TikTok Challenge California Law Limiting Teen Social Media Access

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Major tech companies Meta, Google, and TikTok have sued California's Attorney General to block AB 1709, a law restricting addictive social media features for users under 16, citing free speech and privacy concerns.

In a significant legal move, Meta, Google, and TikTok have each filed lawsuits against California Attorney General Rob Bonta, seeking to block the implementation of AB 1709, a state law that aims to restrict certain social media features for children under the age of 16. Signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in September 2026, the legislation is set to take effect at the beginning of the new year and targets features deemed addictive, such as autoplay videos and personalized content feeds.

AB 1709 prohibits social media platforms from offering autoplay and algorithmically tailored content to users under 16. Moreover, the law mandates that platforms delete accounts of these younger users if such features are not disabled. Noncompliance could result in fines reaching $50,000 per affected user. These provisions have prompted tech companies to argue that the law unlawfully impinges on their editorial freedom, contravenes the First Amendment, and is preempted by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.

Meta's lawsuit claims that the law effectively bans the company from disseminating personalized content and requires deletion of minors’ accounts unless they fundamentally alter their content delivery. TikTok echoed this stance, describing AB 1709 as an unconstitutional limit on free expression, undermining the established industry practice of curating content based on user preferences—a method also common in book stores, television networks, and streaming platforms.

Digital rights advocates have raised concerns about the law's implications for privacy, noting that enforcing such restrictions necessitates extensive age verification, potentially increasing surveillance and data collection on all users. Rindala Alajaji of the Electronic Frontier Foundation highlighted that the act could infringe on users' anonymity and concentrate further control within tech companies. She further emphasized that the law risks silencing youth voices integral to digital activism movements worldwide.

This lawsuit emerges amid a global trend of legislating teen social media use to protect mental health, with countries like Australia implementing outright bans for users under 16, and France attempting similar measures that courts have struck down over free speech concerns. The involved platforms also argue that AB 1709 undermines parental control by restricting parents' ability to manage their children's online experiences, with Google pointing out existing options that allow parents to regulate autoplay and restrict access to certain content, such as YouTube Shorts.

A spokesperson for the California Attorney General’s office stated that the filings are under review and reaffirmed their commitment to defending laws designed to protect children online. With this legal contest underway, the outcome may influence how social media usage by minors is regulated nationwide and could impact the balance between user protection, privacy, and freedom of expression on digital platforms.