Common Sense Media Statement on Passage of AB 1709

SAN FRANCISCO, August 31, 2026 — The California State Senate today passed AB 1709 by a vote of 39-0. The bill, authored by Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal, bars online platforms from serving addictive features to users under 16. Common Sense Media is a co-sponsor of the bill.

Jim Steyer, Founder and CEO of Common Sense Media, issued the following statement:

"The lawsuits against some of the biggest tech companies, including the one that led to the landmark Meta settlement this week, put the industry's own documents in front of the country. Social media companies have engineered their products to hook children, and their own researchers proved it worked. Tech companies ran the tobacco playbook on kids, and this is social media's Big Tobacco moment. Parents cannot out-parent an algorithm built in a lab to keep kids scrolling. Today the California Senate said enough. AB 1709 forces these companies to design their platforms for children's safety - or they cannot offer them to children. Assemblymember Lowenthal, and groups like ours, and parents across the country are taking on the most powerful industry in the world and we're winning. The Assembly should concur, and Governor Newsom should sign this bill."

About Common Sense Media

Common Sense Media is the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the research-backed information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the age of apps, algorithms, and AI. We rate, educate, and advocate to protect and prepare kids online. Our ratings, research, and resources reach more than 150 million users globally, over 1.4 million educators, and more than 100,000 schools worldwide every year. Learn more at commonsense.org.