Published: Sep 11, 2026, 15:35 IST | Updated: Sep 11, 2026, 15:35 IST
California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed 13 landmark laws aimed at protecting children from online risks and "psychologically exploitative" social media features. The comprehensive legislative package restricts platforms from targeting users under 16 with addictive mechanisms such as infinite scrolling, autoplay, and personalized recommendation algorithms. Additionally, the new regulations impose strict criminal sanctions on AI-generated child abuse imagery, mandate parental controls for AI companion chatbots, and ban AI chatbots in physical children's toys.