Big Tech battles California’s crackdown on minors’ social media use

The news: Tech lobbying group NetChoice, which represents Google, Meta, and Snap, failed to oppose California’s Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act (SB 976), a groundbreaking law set to limit addictive social media feeds for minors, per PCMag.

• US District Judge Edward J. Davila upheld part of SB 976 that determined social media companies can no longer push “addictive feeds” or recommendation algorithms to users under 18. 
• Davila granted a preliminary injunction on the section of SB 976 that restricts social media notifications during school hours and between midnight and 6am.

Why it’s worth watching: With a TikTok sale or ban imminent in the US, the social media landscape is expected to undergo upheaval, with platforms like Google, Meta, and Snap jockeying for position to capture market share.

• Minors are a massive revenue driver for social media firms. A Harvard University study found that social media companies brought in $11 billion in advertising revenue from minors in 2023.
• SB 976 would effectively further reduce engagement on social media apps, a move that could be emulated by other states.

Recent findings show ByteDance was aware that it only takes 35 minutes, or about 260 videos, to get minors addicted to TikTok. 

The kid gloves are off: Protecting minors from the ill effects of social media addiction has become a regulatory priority—the US Senate passed two bills in September to ramp up online safety and the protection of minors.

For Big Tech, this legal battle is more than a response to one state’s law—it’s a defense against a ripple effect that could inspire similar legislation nationwide. 

Our take: Facing growing uncertainty, social companies are uniting, lobbying, and citing free speech to resist stricter digital regulations. 

They will continue to face overwhelming government and regulatory pressure. Failure to adapt their addictive algorithms targeting minors could lead to further outright bans and fines.

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