California is launching a teen tech council to provide students an opportunity to advise on state decisions about technology, artificial intelligence and digital wellness.
Governor Gavin Newsom's office announced the creation of The Teen Tech Council, which is in partnership with youth advocacy nonprofit #HalfTheStory and part of Newsom's California Innovation Council.
EdSource reported the body includes 20 teenagers, which represented more than 10 school districts for the council's first meeting in Sacramento.
In the meeting, which included state leaders such as Health and Human Services Secretary Kim Johnson and Cabinet Secretary Nani Coloretti, students discussed topics related to AI use, including classroom use, safety, deepfake imagery, generative AI use and human interaction.
Newsom’s office said the state plans to recruit teens at statewide events this fall and will train them in spring 2027 to help "lead projects that directly improve the wellness of teens."
California is the second state to adopt a teen tech advisory council, following New York's launch of teen tech council in 2025.
California has put forth the country's most ambitious legislation to regulate technology use by young people, including a proposal to ban social media accounts for children under age 16 and implement age verification, and a ballot measure to impose restrictions on children's use of AI chatbots.
The council will also form as social media companies, like Meta and Google, face more than a thousand school districts in a multidistrict lawsuit alleging that their algorithms have addicted and harmed teens.
