In Victory for Kids and Families, Newsom Signs Online Safety Protections into Law
Assembly Bill 56 will require warning labels on social media; Assembly Bill 1043 will implement age assurance to protect kids from inappropriate material
SAN FRANCISCO, October 13, 2025 — In a very important win for children and families, California Governor Gavin Newsom today signed two landmark bills to protect kids and teens from addictive social media and age-inappropriate online material.
Assembly Bill 56, authored by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan and sponsored by Common Sense Media and Attorney General Rob Bonta, will require first-of-their-kind warning labels on social media platforms. This is a major victory to put guardrails around social media platforms and their impact on youth mental health.
Assembly Bill 1043, authored by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks and supported by Common Sense Media, will establish an age signaling system to keep children safe online while protecting their privacy. This age verification law is also a very important victory for kids and families.
Common Sense Media Founder and CEO James P. Steyer issued the following statement:
"The governor's actions on AB 56 and AB 1043 are landmark victories for kids and families, and not just here in the Golden State. California once again is setting a standard for the rest of the nation, as well as for the rest of the world, to follow.
"Common Sense Media thanks Governor Gavin Newsom for signing AB 56 and AB 1043 into law. We also applaud Assemblymembers Rebecca Bauer-Kahan and Buffy Wicks for leading the way on teen online safety. Their bills are timely and important steps toward a safer, more age-appropriate online world for our children. We also thank First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom for her leadership on kids' online safety.
"First, warning labels are a time-tested approach to helping families make informed decisions. When we learned alcohol could cause birth defects, we added warning labels for pregnant women. When smoking was linked to cancer, we labeled every cigarette pack. The logic behind AB 56 is simple: just as families deserve to know the risks of smoking and drinking, they should know that addictive social media feeds can take a toll on their kids' mental health and well-being. That is why former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy and more than 40 state attorneys general, including AG Rob Bonta, have called for warning labels on social media like those required by AB 56.
"Second, by making it easier for parents to signal age and increasing accountability for tech companies, AB 1043 begins to lay the groundwork for a safer online world.
"The victory on AB 56 in particular would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of the countless parents, teens, and other advocates who made their voices heard in the legislature and with the governor. Because of their tireless efforts, we are moving closer to the digital future our children deserve.
"As we celebrate this important progress, we look forward to continuing to work with legislators and families over the next year on policies that will protect kids in an AI-powered world."
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 well over 150 million users worldwide, as well as 1.4 million educators and over 100,000 schools every year. Learn more at commonsense.org.