Common Sense Media Announces Support for California AB 2

SAN FRANCISCO, Mar 18, 2025 – Common Sense Media proudly announces its sponsorship of California Assembly Bill 2 (AB 2), which holds social media platforms accountable for harming children and teens. The bill establishes clear financial liability for social media companies that fail to exercise ordinary care toward minors, and amends California's negligence law to impose statutory damages of $5,000 per violation—up to $1 million per affected child—when companies are proven in court to have knowingly offered products or features that harmed minors.

CEO and Founder of Common Sense Media, James P. Steyer, issued the following statement:

"There is an urgent need for legislation like AB 2 that addresses our youth mental health crisis, which research clearly links to social media use. The evidence is alarming: suicide rates have risen dramatically among young girls as Instagram's popularity has soared; platforms knowingly worsen teen body image issues; algorithms actively push harmful content about eating disorders and self-harm; and social media has become the primary channel through which deadly substances reach our youth.

California will continue to lead on these critical issues by establishing legal principles that require social media platforms to uphold their duty of care to our children.

Common Sense Media remains committed to protecting kids in the digital age. We urge the California legislature to pass AB 2 and prioritize the health and safety of all children."

To learn more, please see an informational one-pager on AB 2 here.

About Common Sense Media

Common Sense Media is dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive. Our ratings, research, and resources reach more than 150 million users worldwide and 1.4 million educators every year. Learn more at commonsense.org.