Gov. Newsom Signs Sweeping New Rules for Online Child Safety

Key Points:

• California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a package of online child safety bills, including Senate Bill 1119, Assembly Bill 2, and Assembly Bill 1709, aimed at protecting children from risks posed by AI chatbots and social media platforms.
• Senate Bill 1119 requires AI companion chatbot operators to assess and document risks to children, submit findings to an independent auditor, implement parental controls, and provide in-app crisis support.
• Assembly Bill 2 increases potential damages social media companies can face when their conduct harms children, while Assembly Bill 1709 prohibits addictive engagement features for users under 16 on social media platforms.
• The new laws establish a framework for enforcement and create a registry and auditing scheme for AI safety beginning in January, introducing the role of AI auditors in California.
• The legislation has received support from advocacy groups like Common Sense Media and AI companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic, highlighting the focus on both mitigating catastrophic risks and everyday impacts of AI on children's mental health and wellbeing.