Meta, TikTok and Google Sue to Block California Teen Feed Law

Meta, TikTok and Google filed separate lawsuits against California’s AB 1709, which restricts addictive feeds and autoplay for users under 16. The case may reshape teen reach.

What happened

Meta, TikTok and Google are pushing back against a new California law set to take effect on Jan. 1. The platforms filed separate lawsuits on Wednesday arguing that the law violates First Amendment rights and Section 230 protections, according to Reuters.

California’s Assembly Bill 1709, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom on Sept. 10, requires online platforms operating in the state to restrict the use of certain features for users under age 16. The law names “addictive feeds, endless scrolls, autoplay, and their functional equivalents, including any feature that learns from user information or behavior in order to prolong engagement with a particular internet website, online service, online application, or mobile application.”

Under the law, platforms must either remove those elements from underage accounts or ban users under age 16 from using their platforms.

Key facts

• California’s Assembly Bill 1709 was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom on Sept. 10 and is scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1.
• The law targets addictive feeds, endless scrolls, autoplay and functional equivalents for users under age 16.
• Platforms must either remove these elements from underage accounts or ban users under age 16 from using the platforms.
• Google, Meta and TikTok filed separate lawsuits on Wednesday arguing the law violates the First Amendment and Section 230 protections.
• In March, a California jury found Facebook, Instagram and YouTube can have significant mental health impacts on younger users due to intentionally designed, addictive systems; in August, Meta agreed to pay more than $18 billion to halt a separate lawsuit over social media harms.

Our analysis

The legal fight matters because it targets the core engagement mechanics that many social feeds are built on: endless scroll, autoplay and algorithmic features designed to prolong time on platform. If the law takes effect, platforms may have to create a materially different experience for users under age 16, which suggests that content reach among younger audiences could shift.

The platforms argue that California is substituting the state’s judgment for that of parents and compelling them to honor a preferred means of presenting content to children. That framing signals a broader conflict over who controls product design and age-appropriate defaults, not just one state rule.

For creators and operators, the case is a warning that teen-focused distribution may become less predictable. Even if the lawsuits delay enforcement, the underlying pressure from earlier findings — including the March jury ruling and Meta’s August settlement — is likely to push platforms to adjust features or targeting options before any final ruling.

What it means for operators

• Review how much of your strategy depends on autoplay, endless scroll or algorithmic feed placement; prepare alternate formats that work without those mechanics.
• Segment campaigns by age where possible and build contingency plans for reduced reach to users under age 16 in California.
• Track platform policy updates and court rulings before Jan. 1, and adjust publishing schedules if engagement loops change.
• If you operate in or target California, document how age-gating and feature restrictions could affect organic reach and paid placements.