Meta, TikTok, Google sue California over child online safety restrictions

The Hill · Mira Bhakta · 2026-11-06 00:51 UTC

Meta, TikTok and Google filed separate lawsuits against California over a new law seeking to tighten restrictions on child social media usage, arguing the legislation violates the companies’ First Amendment rights.  California’s bipartisan “Digital Age Assurance Act,” which goes into effect Jan. 1, bans social media platforms in the Sunshine State from providing “an addictive…

Meta, TikTok and Google filed separate lawsuits against California over a new law seeking to tighten restrictions on child social media usage, arguing the legislation violates the companies’ First Amendment rights.

California’s bipartisan “Digital Age Assurance Act,” which goes into effect Jan. 1, bans social media platforms in the Sunshine State from providing “an addictive feed” to users under the age of 16. It also requires these companies “implement reasonable measures” to prevent minors from accessing such features.

The three companies argued the bill violates both the First Amendment and the federal Communications Decency Act, which protects online platforms from being sued over third party content. However, the law, established in 1996, went into effect as social media was in its early infancy.

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