After a last-ditch attempt to cancel the law, the California ban on “addictive feeds” for young people is officially set to go into effect.
The law, SB976, is designed to prevent Big Tech companies from giving minors access to “addictive feeds.”
As reported by TechCrunch, a federal judge ruled against NetChoice, a lobby group that challenged this law. NetChoice, which includes Google, Meta, X, and Snap, argued that this law violates the First Amendment. But the collective failed to convince the federal judges of this.
What is the California ban?
As of Jan. 1, 2027, companies will be prohibited from letting young people access these social media feeds unless they have explicit parental consent, TechCrunch reports.
But what exactly are “addictive feeds?” According to the law, these feeds are “an internet website, online service, online application, or mobile application, in which multiple pieces of media generated or shared by users are recommended, selected, or prioritized for display to a user based on information provided by the user.”
Moreover, the statute makes it “unlawful for the operator of an addictive internet-based service or application, as defined, to provide an addictive feed to a user unless the operator does not have actual knowledge that the user is a minor.”
The law also restricts the amount of notifications young people can get during school and evening hours.
This isn’t the first law of its kind to be approved. Similar laws have recently been enacted across Australia and New York. And we have a feeling this latest one, won’t be the last.
