California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a statement today following the signing of Senate Bill 976 (SB 976) into law by Governor Gavin Newsom. Authored by Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), SB 976, also known as the Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act, aims to restrict social media companies and other website operators from using addictive algorithmic feeds, notifications, and other design features that encourage prolonged use by children and teens. The new law mandates parental consent for these features, allowing families to establish healthy boundaries around children's social media usage.
"Kids use the internet to find community and learn about themselves and the world. We must protect their ability to do this safely," said Attorney General Rob Bonta. "Social media companies have shown us time and time again that for profit, they are willing to use addictive design features, including algorithmic feeds and notifications at all hours of the day and night, to target children and teens. SB 976 changes this and puts families in control."
Senator Nancy Skinner emphasized the detrimental effects of social media addiction on young users. "Social media companies have designed their platforms to addict users, especially our kids. Studies show that once a young person has a social media addiction, they experience higher rates of depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and suicide. But social media companies have been unwilling to voluntarily change their practices," she stated. "With the passage of SB 976, the California Legislature has sent a clear message: When social media companies won’t act, it’s our responsibility to protect our kids."
The legislation grants parents and guardians the authority to decide whether users under 18 years old will receive algorithmically determined content feeds on social media platforms and other websites. It does not restrict content but allows young users to search for content, follow or block specific sources, and view posts chronologically. Algorithmic feeds can be addictive and heavy social media use is linked with negative mental health outcomes for young users.
Additionally, SB 976 prohibits social media platforms from sending notifications between midnight and 6:00 a.m. unless parental consent is provided for users under 18 years old.
The Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act also includes provisions for parents and guardians to:
- Prevent notifications during specific hours such as school or homework time.
- Limit access to addictive feeds based on daily time limits set by parents or guardians.
- Restrict visibility of likes and engagement metrics contributing to an addictive experience.
- Enable a private mode where only user connections can view or respond to posted content.
- Select non-recommended feeds not based on collected information from the child.
Most safeguards mandated by SB 976 are required to be enabled by default.
The full text of the legislation is available here.