The Overview
If your child uses social media, the platforms they're on can now be sued for damages in California when they fail to exercise ordinary care and a child gets hurt. California's Injuries to Children: Civil Penalties bill, AB 2, became law when Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed it Sept. 10. Research cited by U.S. health officials linked social media use of more than three hours a day to roughly twice the risk of depression and anxiety among children, the Associated Press reported, and the share of adolescents with problematic social media use rose from 7 percent in 2018 to 11 percent in 2022, according to the World Health Organization's European office. The law is in effect until Jan. 1, 2035.
What the Law Does
The law extends California's ordinary-care standard to social media platforms: when a platform fails to exercise that care and a child is injured, the platform is liable for damages. Civil penalties run $5,000 per violation, up to $1 million per child, ABC10 reported, and families can sue for both civil penalties and damages when a platform harms a minor.
Legislative Status
Asm. Josh Lowenthal (D) authored the bill; Asm. Joe Patterson (R) was a cosponsor. Three other coauthors are listed: Asm. John Harabedian (D), Asm. Gail Pellerin (D), and Asm. Robert Rivas (D).
The full Assembly passed it 66-0 on May 12, 2025. On June 15, 2026, a Senate vote of 6-0 backed a motion to pass the bill but first re-refer it to the Judiciary Committee. The Assembly's final concurrence vote on Aug. 28 was 73-0.
Lowenthal said on the Assembly floor, "They'll change their products as a result of damages than they are anything else," Privacy Daily reported. Common Sense Media, the bill's sponsor, welcomed the signing, describing the law as making platforms liable for damages when a child is injured after a platform fails to exercise ordinary care, Common Sense Media reported.
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