Meta, Google, and TikTok File Separate Federal Lawsuits to Block California Assembly Bill 1709
Meta, Google, and TikTok sued California in separate federal lawsuits to block Assembly Bill 1709, a state law set to take effect on January 1 that bans personalized feeds and autoplay features for users under 16, the NY Post reported. The tech companies argue the statute violates First Amendment protections by appointing the state as an editorial arbiter of online speech.
Governor Gavin Newsom signed the legislation on September 10 as part of a broader state push to restrict compulsive digital tools for minors. Under the text of Assembly Bill 1709, platforms must verify user ages and delete accounts of minors unless those accounts remove feeds and autoplay features entirely. Violations carry penalties of up to $50,000 per affected minor for knowing infractions.
Tech Giants File Federal Complaints Against California Legislation
The three tech giants lodged their complaints across different federal courts in California on Wednesday. Meta filed its case in the Northern District of California, arguing that the legislation infringes upon basic editorial judgment. California Assembly Bill 1709 (the ‘Act’ or ‘AB 1709’) is California’s latest attempt to flout that fundamental principle and appoint the State as the editor, curator, and controller of online speech,
Meta stated in its court filing.
Meta, Google and TikTok sue California to block law shielding children from 'addictive' algorithms https://t.co/pajHA4g1JS pic.twitter.com/cbaDVViutW
Google and YouTube joined the Northern District filings, emphasizing that algorithmic curation remains essential for young users searching vast databases. Twenty million new videos are uploaded to YouTube every day,
Google’s complaint notes, pointing out that unpersonalized feeds make locating age-appropriate material significantly harder among billions of adult-oriented uploads. TikTok filed its separate challenge in the Central District of California in Los Angeles, asserting that the law forces companies into an impossible choice between dropping teen curation or deleting minor accounts altogether.
Alongside First Amendment challenges, the platforms argue that the state statute runs afoul of Section 230 of the federal Communications Decency Act. They contend that the regulation overrides parents’ specific choices regarding platform use and ignores built-in safety controls already deployed by the companies.
New Statute Eliminates Parental Exceptions Found in Prior Laws
The newly challenged statute expands upon prior state restrictions. Assembly Bill 1709 goes further than Senate Bill 976, a 2024 law that prohibited personalized feeds for users under 18 only when lacking parental consent. While SB 976 permitted parental exceptions, the new legislation provides no such waiver and is already facing separate Ninth Circuit challenges from the platforms.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta's office defended the state's position during the new legal challenges. Our office is committed to defending California’s commonsense laws to protect kids online,
Bonta’s office said, confirming that state lawyers are actively reviewing the incoming complaints. Governor Newsom’s office similarly championed the legislation upon its September signing, asserting that the state will not stand by while unregulated technology presents risks to minors.
Assembly Bill Takes Effect in January 2027 Without Injunctions
The legal battles arrive as tech firms roll out their own internal safety adjustments.
Unless federal judges grant injunctions or void the statute entirely, Assembly Bill 1709 is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027.
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Meta, Google and TikTok Sue to Block California Law Protecting Minors on Social Media https://t.co/X76kyLCz84
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Meta, TikTok, Google sue California over child online safety restrictions • Meta, TikTok and Google filed separate lawsuits against California over a new law seeking to tighten restrictions on child social media usage… https://t.co/3H0SsifVi1
