Common Sense Media-Backed Kids’ Online Safety Bills Clear Major Hurdle in California Legislature
Bills led by Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan would require warning labels on social media platforms and establish safety standards for AI systems used by kids
SAN FRANCISCO, August 29, 2025 — In a major development for kids' online safety in California, the California Senate Appropriations Committee today gave its approval to two kids' online safety bills sponsored by Common Sense Media and authored by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan. Assembly Bill 56, which is also sponsored by Attorney General Bonta, would require warning labels on social media platforms, while Assembly Bill 1064 would ban AI companions for minors and establish guardrails for AI systems that are dangerous or risky for kids.
Following Committee approval, Common Sense Media Founder and CEO James P. Steyer issued the below statement:
"This is a major development in the effort to protect kids online in California. We thank Chairwoman Caballero and the Senate Appropriations Committee for advancing these much-needed online safeguards for kids. And we applaud Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan for her leadership on social media and AI safety for kids, teens, and families.
"In a world where teens spend nearly five hours a day on social media and 3 in 4 teens have used unsafe AI companions, the need for guardrails on these platforms could not be more urgent. Social media has left a generation of kids stressed, depressed, and addicted to their phones, and it's time families knew the risks of excessive use. Providing clear warning labels — just like we do for other addictive products like tobacco and alcohol — is a critical step toward the digital future our kids deserve.
"But in the AI era, meaningful tech safety policy can't begin and end with guardrails on social media. Today, there is no online safety without AI safety. By advancing legislation to keep AI companions out of the hands of our children and make other AI systems safer for kids, California is showing the rest of the country what it means to lead on AI.
"We look forward to seeing these bills approved by the full Senate next month and getting these bills ready for Governor Newsom's desk."
More information on AB 56 can be found here. More information on AB 1064 can be found 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.