Google, Meta and TikTok have each filed lawsuits asking courts to block a new California law that would bar social media platforms from offering personalized feeds and autoplay videos to users under 16. The three suits, filed Wednesday, name California Attorney General Rob Bonta as the only defendant, Reuters reported.
The law, Assembly Bill 1709, is set to take effect at the start of 2027 unless a court steps in. It is one of the most far-reaching state efforts yet to change how apps like YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok work for younger teens.
What the law would do
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 1709 on Sept. 10. The law targets what it calls “psychologically exploitative features” that could lead children to compulsive use. According to the reporting, its key parts include:
- No personalized feeds or autoplay for under-16 users. Tubefilter reported that recommendation algorithms and infinite scroll are also covered.
- Account deletion. Platforms would have to delete the accounts of under-16 users if those features are not turned off, TechCrunch reported.
- Steep fines. Companies that do not comply could face fines of up to $50,000 per affected user under 16, according to TechCrunch.
When he signed the bill, Newsom said California “will not stand by while unregulated technology puts our children at risk,” Reuters reported.
What the companies argue
Google filed in federal court in San Jose, while Meta filed in San Francisco and TikTok in Los Angeles, according to Reuters. The companies make similar arguments. They say the law violates First Amendment free speech protections by forcing them to follow the state’s preferred way of presenting content. They also argue it conflicts with Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, the federal law that generally shields platforms from liability over posts by their users.
The companies also say the law swaps parents’ judgment for the state’s. Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda told Reuters that parents are best positioned to make decisions for their families, and Google noted that YouTube autoplay is already off by default for minors and that parents can turn off teens’ access to Shorts, TechCrunch reported.
A TikTok spokesperson called the measure “a blatantly unconstitutional restriction on free expression,” and compared curating content by user interest to what bookstores, TV networks and streaming services do. Meta argued in its suit that the state cannot override its editorial choices about how posts are organized and displayed.
California’s response and other critics
Bonta’s office said it is reviewing the filings and is “committed to defending California’s commonsense laws to protect kids online,” Tubefilter and TechCrunch reported.
Not all of the law’s critics are tech companies. The Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital rights nonprofit, has called the law a privacy and free speech problem, according to Reuters. An EFF representative told TechCrunch that the law would push platforms to collect more information from every user to figure out who is under 16, which could weaken privacy and anonymity for adults too.
The bigger picture
California’s law is part of a wider push in the United States and abroad to limit teen social media use. Australia became the first country to ban social media for users under 16 in December 2025, TechCrunch noted, while a similar law in France was struck down by that country’s top court over free expression concerns.
The lawsuits also come as the companies face pressure on other fronts. In August, Meta agreed to pay up to $18 billion and limit teen use of Facebook and Instagram under agreements with nearly all U.S. states, Reuters reported. Meta, Google, TikTok and Snap still face thousands of lawsuits from families, school districts and local governments claiming the platforms were designed to hook children and harmed their mental health.
Questions about how technology companies handle kids and safety have been in the news all week, from Google’s reversal on tying school search access to AI to Apple’s plan to check public iCloud links for harmful content.
Why it matters for families
If AB 1709 takes effect as written, California families with children under 16 could see major changes to the apps their kids use, from feeds that no longer suggest videos based on viewing habits to accounts that could be removed. Tubefilter reported that, given how the platforms are built, the law could effectively keep under-16 users off some major apps unless the companies redesign them. If a court blocks the law, current features would stay in place while the case continues.
Either way, parents do not have to wait for the courts. The companies point to parental controls they already offer, such as YouTube’s option to turn off a teen’s access to Shorts. Taking a few minutes to review those settings with your teen can be a good conversation starter about healthy phone habits.
What to watch next
Each company is asking for an injunction that would stop Bonta from enforcing the law against it. The key question is whether a judge rules before Jan. 1, when the law is scheduled to begin. Watch, too, for whether other states with their own youth social media rules face similar challenges, and whether California’s legislature responds to the privacy concerns raised about age checks.
Read more: Google Backs Off Tying School Search Access to AI After Backlash
This story is developing. Watch for court hearings on the companies’ requests to pause the law before Jan. 1. Upstormed News will follow it.
Should states limit personalized feeds and autoplay for kids under 16, or should those choices be left to parents?
Sources: Reuters via KFGO, “Google, Meta, TikTok sue to block California youth social media law” (November 5, 2026); TechCrunch, “Meta, Google, and TikTok sue California AG over teen social media law” (November 5, 2026); Tubefilter, “Google, TikTok, and Meta are suing California to stop a law that bans ‘psychologically exploitative features’ for kids under 16” (November 5, 2026); TechStartups, “Top Tech News Roundup for Today, November 5, 2026” (November 5, 2026)
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