Statement on California Assembly Passage of AB 1709 to Protect Children Under 16 from Addictive Social Media

SAN FRANCISCO, May 28, 2026—Common Sense Media Founder and CEO James P. Steyer issued the following statement after the California State Assembly passed AB 1709 (Lowenthal), which bars children under 16 from holding accounts on social media platforms that use addictive feeds, and sent the bill to the State Senate:

"Today the Assembly told the tech industry what California parents have known for years and what governments from the EU to Australia are now acting on. A business model built on hooking our children is not something that parents should have to navigate alone.

"AB 1709 goes after the design, not the speech. It protects children under 16 from accounts on platforms engineered with addictive feeds that have proven to be harmful. Kids can still find information and resources online. What changes is that a platform can no longer hand a child the digital equivalent of a pack of cigarettes.

"For years, these companies have studied how kids behave, when they are most vulnerable, and how to keep them coming back. Parents should not have to fight billion-dollar platforms on their own.

"Assemblymember Lowenthal built a bipartisan coalition behind this bill, and we look forward to continuing our work together as it moves to the Senate."

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.