Common Sense Media Applauds NetChoice v. Bonta Ruling
SAN FRANCISCO, September 10, 2025 — Common Sense Media today applauded a federal appeals court ruling in favor of landmark California legislation that would protect kids and teens from addictive features of social media platforms.
In a victory for kids and their families and a blow to tech industry lobbyists, the Ninth Circuit yesterday largely upheld California's Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act (SB 976), which bans addictive social media feeds for minors and requires minors' accounts to be set to private by default, unless a parent consents to these features. Common Sense Media supported the legislation during the legislative process in 2024 and filed an amicus brief in defense of the law.
In response to the ruling, Holly Grosshans, Senior Counsel for Tech Policy at Common Sense Media, issued the following statement:
"This decision is a major victory for California kids and families. By upholding the state's ban on addictive social media feeds for children without parental consent, the court has taken meaningful action to address a significant contributing factor to our Nation's youth mental health crisis.
"Under this law, which New York state also approved in 2024 in a similar form, online platforms will, by default, be limited in their use of addictive feeds that keep kids endlessly scrolling. In addition, all minors' accounts must by default be set to private. This means that kids under 18 will see what they choose to see in their social media feed, not what algorithms drive them to see, and that only approved connections with other online users will be able to see or respond to a child's posts, unless a parent chooses otherwise.
"This ruling affirms what Common Sense Media has long argued: social media platforms' relentless pursuit of engagement through manipulative and addictive design features driven by algorithms can no longer be allowed to come at the expense of our kids' safety and mental health.
"The court made clear that social media companies cannot hide behind the First Amendment to avoid all responsibility for protecting kids. This is a significant step toward holding companies accountable and making the online world safer and healthier for young people."
Common Sense Media's amicus brief argued that the law's age assurance requirements can be implemented constitutionally and that the issue was not ripe for consideration. The Ninth Circuit agreed with Common Sense Media's position in its decision.
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.