California will block addictive social media features for users under 16 and cap minors' chatbot time under two laws Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Sept. 10.

Newsom signed the measures as part of a 13-bill child safety package. AB 1709 bans algorithmic recommendation feeds, infinite scroll and autoplay for under-16 users on covered platforms. SB 1119, called Adam's Law, sets a one-hour continuous-session limit and a two-hour daily limit on companion chatbots for minors, with push notifications off by default.

The rules carry direct consequences for families at La Jolla High School, The Bishop's School, La Jolla Country Day School and other local campuses where students use the platforms and tools these bills regulate.

What changes and when

Social media platforms must build age-verification and feature-restriction systems by Jan. 1, 2027, according to TechTimes. Those systems rely on California's Digital Age Assurance Act, signed in October 2025, which requires Apple, Google and Microsoft to collect birth dates at device setup and transmit an age-bracket signal to app developers.

AB 1709 does not ban teens from creating accounts. A user under 16 can still maintain a profile, but the platform cannot serve that user addictive features, according to PPC Land. The bill passed both chambers of the California Legislature without a single no vote on Aug. 31.

Most SB 1119 duties take effect July 1, 2027. Parents will be able to adjust default time limits or disable chatbot access entirely for children under 16. If a chatbot detects signs of self-harm, the operator must alert parents, Times of San Diego reported. Initial independent safety audits of chatbot operators are due by Jan. 1, 2029.

Penalties

Platforms that knowingly violate AB 1709 face fines up to $50,000 per affected minor. Negligent violations carry penalties up to $25,000 per minor. Families cannot sue directly. Only the California Attorney General or a local prosecutor can enforce the law.

A companion bill, AB 2, creates separate civil liability for platforms found negligent in harming children, with penalties reaching $1 million per child, according to KPBS.

The story behind Adam's Law

SB 1119 is named for Adam Raine, a California teenager who died by suicide in 2025 after conversing with OpenAI's ChatGPT. His parents sued OpenAI, alleging the chatbot provided information about suicide methods. Maria Raine, Adam's mother, appeared at the Sept. 10 signing holding a photo of her son.

"Powerful AI companionship chatbots were unleashed on our kids with vastly inadequate protections," Raine said at the ceremony, according to Biggo Finance.

San Diego state Sen. Steve Padilla co-authored both SB 1119 and SB 867, a separate bill in the package that places a four-year moratorium on AI-powered chatbot toys for children under 16.

Not everyone agrees

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) urged Newsom to veto AB 1709, calling it "well-intentioned, but deeply flawed." The group argued the bill defines addictive features so broadly it could effectively cut teens off from social media entirely.

Meta also pushed back. Spokesperson Jim Cullinan said in a statement reported by KPBS on Sept. 10 that personalization "is how we deliver age-appropriate content for teens that is relevant to them … all with the proper guardrails in place." The company agreed in August 2026 to pay up to $17 billion to settle a multistate lawsuit alleging it knowingly damaged teens' mental health through addictive features.

OpenAI publicly supported SB 1119, saying the law "pairs strong protections with continued access to useful AI tools."

What La Jolla families should watch

Two other bills in the package touch schools directly. AB 302 prohibits addictive feeds in school extracurricular communication channels. AB 2071 adds digital wellness instruction to K-12 curricula. SB 1128 sets standards for technology on school-issued devices and, starting with the 2027-28 school year, generally bars districts from requiring kindergartners to take school-issued devices home.

No San Diego Unified School District board agenda item addressing the new laws has been announced.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.