A bill that would increase liability for social media companies that harm children is headed to the Governor’s desk.
The bill would increase financial penalties for social media companies in the event their platforms are found to harm children.
Democratic Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal of Long Beach introduced the bill. He says the bill is part of a sea change to get social media platforms to remove addictive features.
"They will change their design when it hurts them in the wallet, and that is what AB 2 does," said Lowenthal. "AB 2 puts the power back with us."
Lowenthal says the settlement Meta announced in a major child safety lawsuit doesn’t go far enough.
"Because a $17.1 billion settlement over a 10-year period of time is not that bad for a multi-trillion-dollar sector," added Lowenthal.
The bill is just one of many bills lawmakers are considering to keep kids safe online.
"We’re gonna be parents who are actively involved and engaged because moms and dads and parents want to keep their kids safe," said Democratic Assemblymember Buffy Wicks of Oakland.
Lawmakers are also considering proposals to regulate how AI chatbots can interact with minors and impose age verification requirements for platforms.