Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a package of bills into law Thursday to strengthen protections for children on social media and when using artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n
The new laws strengthen safeguards for companion chatbots, prohibit social media platforms from offering certain addictive features to users under 16 and expand privacy protections for children, according to Newsom’s office.<\/a><\/p>\n “Our children’s safety deserves to be at the center of every conversation about technology. As innovation moves faster, our protections must keep pace,” Newsom said in a statement. “Today’s legislation makes clear that California will not stand by while unregulated technology puts our children at risk. Innovation comes with responsibility and protecting our children comes first.”<\/p>\n As part of the package, Newsom signed “Adam’s Law,” named after Adam Raine, a California teenager <\/a>whose family says he received coaching on how to take his own life from ChatGPT before his death.<\/p>\n The law requires crisis-response protocols in cases involving suicidal ideation, parental controls, and notifications if a child disables safety settings.<\/p>\n According to Newsom’s office, it is also the first law in the nation requiring companies to conduct independent child safety audits and annual risk assessments.<\/p>\n Newsom also signed Assembly Bill 1709<\/a>, introduced by Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal, D-Long Beach. The measure would prohibit social media platforms from providing users younger than 16 with “addictive features” such as autoplay.<\/p>\n The new safety restrictions come as tech companies face increasing scrutiny over how they design their products.<\/p>\n