Meta, Google, TikTok Sue California Over Teen Feed Law

Meta, Google, and TikTok each filed separate federal lawsuits against California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Thursday, seeking to block a state law that would bar the platforms from showing autoplay video and personalized feeds to users under 16, according to TechCrunch.

The law, AB 1709, does more than ask companies to tweak a setting. If a platform keeps those features switched on for a minor, the statute requires the company to delete that user's account entirely — a provision Meta's filing says would make it "unlawful for Meta to disseminate speech to minors altogether" unless the company changes its practices, TechCrunch reported.

What does AB 1709 require platforms to do?

Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1709 in September, and it is scheduled to take effect at the start of the new year, per TechCrunch. The law prohibits social platforms from offering autoplay videos and personalized feeds to users under 16. Companies that don't comply face fines of up to $50,000 per affected minor.

Why are Meta, Google, and TikTok suing?

All three companies argue the law violates the First Amendment by overriding editorial decisions about how content is displayed, and that federal Section 230 protections preempt the state statute, TechCrunch reported. A TikTok spokesperson called the measure "a blatantly unconstitutional restriction on free expression that erodes the long-standing and protected practice of curating content based on user preferences, which book stores, TV networks and streaming services all use," according to the outlet.

What do digital rights advocates say about the law?

Not everyone defending teens online backs the approach. Rindala Alajaji, associate director of state affairs at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, told a press briefing that the bill would push platforms toward more surveillance, not less: "AB 1709 compels platforms to collect even more information from every user, invading everyone's privacy and frustrating our ability to remain anonymous online," she said, per TechCrunch. Alajaji also pointed to youth-led movements — the Parkland shooting survivors' March for Our Lives and climate activist Greta Thunberg's organizing — as examples of what she called essential digital activism that a functional ban on under-16 social media use would silence.

When does AB 1709 take effect, and what happens next?

The law's January 1 start date gives courts roughly two months to rule on requests to block it before platforms would need to either strip personalization and autoplay for teen accounts or begin deleting them. TechCrunch's report does not indicate when a hearing is scheduled.

Key terms in the dispute

• AB 1709 — California legislation restricting autoplay and personalized feeds for users under 16, with per-user fines up to $50,000 for noncompliance.
• Section 230 — The federal law shielding platforms from liability for user-generated content, which the companies argue preempts the state statute.
• Age verification — Technical checks platforms may need to add to identify under-16 users, which critics like the EFF warn could expand data collection for all users, not just teens.

The cases now move to federal court, where judges will weigh California's stated mental-health rationale against the companies' First Amendment and preemption claims — a fight likely to shape how other states draft similar teen-safety rules.