California Enacts New Limits on Companion Chatbots and Addictive Social Media for Children

On 10 September 2026, California signed a set of laws that strengthen protections for children who use artificial intelligence and social media. The state describes the package as the strongest of its kind in the country. It addresses companion chatbots, addictive design features, privacy, and material that depicts the sexual exploitation of minors.

The centrepiece for families concerned with AI is a measure known as Adam's Law, which sets requirements for companion chatbots used by children. According to the state, these include:

• Crisis protocols in cases of suicidal ideation.
• Parental controls, and notifications if a child disables safety settings.
• Independent child safety audits and annual risk assessments, described as the first such requirement in the country.

The laws also prohibit social media platforms from offering users under 16 addictive features such as autoplay and algorithmic feeds based on a user's history and profile. Further provisions expand the definition of child sexual exploitation to cover digitally altered or AI-generated material depicting a person under 18, and restrict targeted advertising and the use of pupil data in AI systems.

For children and families, the significance lies in the shift from voluntary practice to legal obligation: safeguards for young users are being written into how these products must be designed and monitored. The state notes that similar approaches are being taken up elsewhere, while calling for national regulation to match the speed and scale of the technology.

This post is based on reporting by the Office of the Governor of California, available here.