Google, Meta and TikTok sue to block California child-safety law
The companies challenge AB 1709 on First Amendment and federal-law grounds. The measure would restrict certain social media features for users under 16 and is due to take effect in January.
Google, Meta and TikTok filed separate lawsuits in California on 4 November 2026 seeking to block enforcement of Assembly Bill 1709, a state law that would restrict certain social media features for users under 16, the Guardian reported. The cases were filed in different venues: Google sued in federal court in San Jose, Meta in San Francisco and TikTok in Los Angeles.
The filings challenge a measure scheduled to take effect on 1 January 2027, unless a judge voids it or puts it on hold. The Guardian’s account of the lawsuits is attributed to Johana Bhuiyan and agencies; Engadget’s separate report credits Reuters and describes the cases as being in their early stages.
What AB 1709 would restrict for children under 16
AB 1709 bars social media platforms from offering children under 16 features the law describes as “psychologically exploitative” when they could lead to compulsive use. The Guardian and Engadget cite personal recommendations and autoplaying videos as examples. The law also requires platforms to delete children’s accounts that have those features.
Governor Gavin Newsom signed the measure on 10 September. He said children’s safety should be central to discussions about technology and that California would not stand by while technology put children at risk, the Guardian reported. The law’s scheduled start date means the lawsuits could affect whether the restrictions take effect as planned.
The companies’ First Amendment and Section 230 arguments
The companies argue that AB 1709 violates the First Amendment and Section 230 of the federal Communications Decency Act. They say the state is compelling platforms to present content in a preferred way and intruding on their editorial judgments. These are the companies’ legal arguments in the lawsuits; the Guardian and Engadget report no ruling on them.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office said on 5 November that it was reviewing the suits and was committed to defending the state’s laws to protect children online, the Guardian reported. The Electronic Frontier Foundation has criticized AB 1709 as a privacy and free-speech risk, a position reported by both the Guardian and Engadget.
Other lawsuits over social media and children
The companies also face thousands of lawsuits brought by individuals, school districts, municipalities and other government entities alleging that social media platforms addicted children and contributed to harms including anxiety, depression and suicide, the Guardian reported. Those allegations are separate from the constitutional challenges to AB 1709.
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Sources and context
- Google, Meta and TikTok sue California to block law protecting children from addiction riskThe Guardian
- Google, Meta and TikTok are all suing California to block social media law intended to help kidsEngadget; reporting credited to Reuters
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.