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Governor Gavin Newsom of California recently enacted legislation that could transform the landscape of children’s engagement with social media platforms in the state. This new law is poised to significantly alter the TikTok experience as young users currently know it.
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The newly passed legislation, known as SB976, is scheduled to be implemented in 2027 and has far-reaching implications for minors in one of the world’s primary technology hubs. The law consists of two key provisions: first, it prohibits social media platforms from offering “addictive feeds,” defined here as content tailored based on user data or preferences to individuals under parental supervision. Secondly, it restricts notifications from these platforms directed at minors between midnight and 6 a.m., as well as from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. during school days unless authorized by parents.
This means that children will only view content arranged chronologically based on their selected connections, effectively eliminating customized recommendation systems like TikTok’s popular “For You Page.”
“Every parent understands the detrimental impact that social media addiction can have on children—ranging from feelings of isolation, heightened anxiety levels, to hours wasted in nighttime scrolling,” stated Newsom via a release reported by the Associated Press. “California is taking steps toward safeguarding our youth by mitigating features designed to foster these harmful trends.”
Importantly, this enforcement will only apply if platform operators are aware or should reasonably have been aware that an account belongs to a minor—suggesting potential loopholes for underage users attempting to circumvent regulations. Nonetheless, proponents of the bill assert that stringent age verification and parental consent mechanisms will be established by California’s attorney general ahead of its rollout in 2027; specific details about how these measures will operate remain unspecified.
TikTok finds itself amidst ongoing legal challenges with U.S authorities; hence its presence might be uncertain come 2027. Regardless of what changes may occur within the realm of social media over upcoming years, this legislation stands poised to fundamentally alter how these applications function.
The
L.A. Times notes that this bill faces various adversaries including ACLU California chapter representatives and Equality California along with lobbies representing major tech firms such as Meta and TikTok itself. While transformative for youth social media usage patterns, it’s likely we’ll witness significant legal proceedings prior to full implementation in 2027.
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