Federal Judge Upholds California Law Banning Addictive Social Media Feeds for Minors
A federal judge allows California's SB 976 to take effect, barring tech companies from providing algorithmic feeds to minors without parental consent. The ruling represents a significant setback for tech industry lobbying groups.
A federal judge allows California's ban on addictive social media feeds for minors to go into effect, rejecting a legal challenge from the tech lobbying group NetChoice. Under this new law, companies are prohibited from serving algorithmically curated content to users they know to be underage unless they receive explicit consent from a parent. The ruling officially takes effect on Wednesday and represents a major regulatory shift for the social media industry.
The law specifically targets feeds that recommend content based on user behavior rather than explicit preferences. Starting in January 2027, tech companies face an additional requirement to implement age assurance techniques, such as age estimation models, to accurately identify minor users and adjust their experiences accordingly. These measures aim to protect young people from the psychological impacts of endlessly scrolling, algorithm-driven platforms.
NetChoice, which counts Meta, Google, and X among its members, files a lawsuit arguing that the law violates the First Amendment. While the judge denies the motion to block the addictive feed restrictions, the ruling does block other elements of the legislation, including a proposed ban on nighttime notifications for minors. This partial legal victory for California mirrors similar legislative efforts recently passed in New York.