California Governor Gavin Newsom Signs Landmark Laws Regulating Youth Social Media and AI Chatbots
· Technology · Engadget, Wall Street Journal
California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed multiple measures aimed at protecting minors by restricting addictive social media features and regulating teen interactions with artificial intelligence chatbots. Under the new legislation, AI companies must implement mental health resources, maintain safety protocols for discussions involving self-harm, and notify parents if a child disables safety settings. The state now requires independent child safety audits and annual risk assessments by AI companies, which face legal liability for non-compliance. Additionally, social media companies are prohibited from allowing users under 16 to access potentially addictive features such as autoplay videos, notifications, and personalized algorithm-driven feeds. Critics such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation argued the social media measure functions as a ban and creates privacy risks due to mandatory age verification.
Why it matters
Minors and tech companies operating in California face strict new compliance mandates that restrict youth access to algorithm-driven feeds and AI chatbots while imposing potential legal liability on developers.
Read the original report — Engadget
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