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California Legislators Pass Over Two Dozen Bills to Regulate AI and Social Media for Minors

California's Democratic-controlled Legislature passed more than 26 bills during the final week of its session to regulate artificial intelligence and social media use by minors. The measures include requirements to ban addictive features, such as autoplaying videos, for users under 16 years old. Additionally, the bills would implement age verification requirements and rules regarding advertisements that minors can see. Democratic Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal introduced a bill that would increase financial liability for social media companies if their platforms are found to harm children. Lowenthal stated that the bill aims to make platforms change their design when it hurts their finances. Democratic Assemblymember Buffy Wicks also noted that the bills reflect a desire for parents to keep their children safe online. Other measures passed include requirements for human instructors in the California State University system, a ban on AI surveillance products that collect neural data to recognize emotional states, and restrictions on AI in healthcare. One bill would ban law enforcement from using electric shock gloves, a move that directly responds to plans by the administration to spend up to $20 million on the gloves for ICE agents.

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