Families Devastated by Tragedy Urge Governor Newsom to Sign Kids’ Online Safety Legislation

SAN FRANCISCO, October 6, 2025 — The parents of Orange County teenager Adam Raine, who died by suicide after using an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, and 153 other parents whose children died related to their use of social media or AI, today called on Governor Gavin Newsom to sign into law two bills that would protect other families from experiencing what they described as "the greatest loss a parent can endure." The parent survivors were joined in support of the legislation by almost two dozen friends of Marin County teenager Alexandra Hinks, who took her own life after being exposed to social media posts promoting eating disorders, self-harm, and suicidal ideation.

Governor Newsom is considering whether to sign AB 56, which would require warning labels on addictive social media sites, and AB 1064, which would restrict companion chatbots that lack safety guardrails for minors, hold operators accountable for non-compliance, and provide redress to victims for resulting harm. The dramatic increase in parent and youth pleas to the governor comes as trade associations representing AI and social media companies are spending millions of dollars on lobbying and advertisements against signing kids' online safety protections into law.

"We believe AB 1064 will help save young lives in our state, and we want to tell you our story so that you understand why," wrote Matthew and Maria Raine, parents of Adam Raine. "We live in Orange County and have four kids ranging in ages from 15 to 20. Adam was just 16 when he died. We should be spending this fall preparing Adam for junior year, getting his driver's license, and starting to think about college. Instead, we are trying to make sure that what happened to Adam never happens to another child." The Raines are suing OpenAI over their son's death.

Meanwhile, 153 parents who lost children due to social media or AI harm, led by a new survivor parent-driven movement called Parents RISE!, urged the governor today to sign both bills into law.

"We are writing to you as parents who have suffered the greatest loss a parent can endure," the parents wrote. "Our children's lives were cut short, and we know the role that unsafe and unregulated social media platforms and AI companions played in their struggles… By signing AB 56 and AB 1064, you have the chance to once again show the country what it means to put children's well-being first. We urge you to act, not only for the children we lost, but for every family in California who still has a chance to keep their kids safe."

In addition, last week, more than two dozen Marin County friends of Alexandra Hinks, known as Owl, held a gravesite ceremony on what would have been Owl's 18th birthday. The group of friends also called on the governor to sign these online safety protections into law.

"Today, we celebrated Owl's 18th birthday without her," Owl's friends wrote. "She won't be with us for homecoming, Prom or any of our senior memories. Please, Governor Newsom, use your voice and your leadership to ensure that no other student, no other family, and no other friend has to endure this kind of loss. Passing the social media warning labels legislation that sits on your desk would be a step toward protecting the young people of California, and honoring the memory of those we have already lost."

AB56 and AB1064 are both authored by Assemblywoman Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-16th District), the chair of the Assembly Privacy Committee. Both bills are sponsored by Common Sense Media. Attorney General Rob Bonta also sponsored AB56 and supports AB1064.

In addition to the parent voices today urging the governor to sign the bills, more than 90 organizations and individuals have written to the governor to urge his support for AB1064 and AB56.

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