Wire reporting: (AP, via ABC7 News Bay Area)

Google, Meta and TikTok filed separate federal lawsuits in California seeking to block Assembly Bill 1709, a state law that would restrict certain social media features for users under 16 when it takes effect Jan. 1, 2027^2,4,7,10.

The companies sued Attorney General Rob Bonta, arguing the statute violates the First Amendment and is preempted by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act^3,4,7. Alphabet filed in San Jose, Meta in San Francisco and TikTok in Los Angeles^7,3.

AB 1709, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in September, targets design features the statute treats as psychologically exploitative, including autoplay and personalized recommendation feeds for people under 16^4,5,6. Platforms would have to take reasonable steps so those users do not get the restricted features, including age checks under the state’s existing framework^6,8. Accounts could be deleted if the features remain on^4,6.

The law does not ban under-16 accounts outright if the restricted features are turned off⁶. Unlike California’s earlier SB 976, AB 1709 would not let parental consent restore those features⁶. Knowing violations could draw civil penalties of up to $50,000 per affected minor, with lower amounts for negligent violations^4,6.

Meta’s complaint said the act would make it unlawful for the company to keep using personalized recommendations and autoplay for minors unless it changed those practices⁴. Google, which owns YouTube, said in its suit that the law would frustrate efforts to give under-16 users safer experiences on the platform². A Google spokesperson said, “Overly broad laws like this actually break the systems we’ve built to help kids find high-quality, age-appropriate videos”⁴.

Newsom said when he signed the bill that California would not stand by while unregulated technology put children at risk^3,5,7. Bonta’s office said it was reviewing the complaints and that it is committed to defending state laws meant to protect children online^3,7,8. Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal, who introduced the bill, has said autoplay and similar features are inappropriate for developing brains^3,6.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation has opposed the statute, saying age-assurance rules would push platforms to collect more user information and that the measure functions as a ban on social media for youth under 16^4,5. Courts have not yet ruled on whether to halt enforcement before the January start date^6,5.