California Governor Gavin Newsom signed three bills Monday that create the nation’s most comprehensive framework for regulating how tech companies interact with minors. AB 56 requires social media platforms to do this display health warnings for users under 18. A child should see a 10-second, skippable warning when logging in every day. A 30-second unmissable warning should appear if a child spends more than three hours on a platform. That warning repeats itself after every additional hour. The warnings should state that social media “may pose a significant risk of harm to the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents.” Minnesota passed a similar law in July.
SB 243 makes California the first state to do so regulate AI companion chatbots. The law will take effect on January 1, 2026. Companies must implement age verification and disclose that interactions are artificially generated. Chatbots cannot introduce themselves as healthcare professionals. Companies must offer minors break reminders and prevent them from viewing sexually explicit images. The legislation gained momentum after teenager Adam Raine died by suicide following conversations with OpenAI’s ChatGPT. A Colorado family has filed suit against Character AI following the suicide of their daughter following problematic conversations with the company’s chatbots.
AB 1043 requires device manufacturers such as Apple and Google to do this collect birth dates when parents set up devices for children. Device manufacturers must divide users into four age categories and share this information with apps. Google, Meta, OpenAI and Snap supported the bill. The Motion Picture Association opposed it.
#California #Laws #Target #Tech #Companies #Interactions #Children #Slashdot