California Governor Gavin Newsom is throwing his support behind a state bill that would ban teenagers under 16 from using social media, marking one of his most direct moves yet into the debate over protecting young people online.
According to Politico, Newsom’s spokesperson, Tara Gallegos, confirmed Thursday that the governor supports age-gating rules modeled after those Australia put in place last year, rules that bar anyone under 16 from creating social media accounts. Gallegos made the announcement just minutes after Newsom addressed reporters near San Francisco.
“As a parent, we need help. We have a generation that’s never been more anxious, less free, more stressed, and we have to address this issue,” Newsom said. He added, “I think it’s long overdue that we’re having the debate. It is something that I’m very grateful that we are debating and pursuing at the state level.”
The governor’s comments put him slightly ahead of a bipartisan group of state lawmakers who introduced Assembly Bill 1709 earlier this month. As reported by FOX40, the bill’s lead author, Long Beach Democrat Josh Lowenthal, is pushing for a statewide minimum age for social media use, though key details, including the exact age cutoff, are not yet finalized. Lowenthal has indicated he leans toward setting the limit at 16.
AB 1709 has already earned bipartisan co-authors, with both Republicans and Democrats backing the effort. Lowenthal framed the legislation in deeply personal terms.
“Youth mental health is in an awful place,” Lowenthal said. “We know that suicide is up. Eating disorders, anxiety, depression. In fact, it should not be called social media, it should be called anti-social media because the impacts it’s having on kids right now.” He added, “I say this not just as a legislator, I say this as a dad.”
A 2023 U.S. Surgeon General report warned that social media poses “profound risk of harm” to teens, noting that nearly half of young people say it makes them feel worse about their body image, and nearly one in two reported experiencing cyberbullying or online harassment.
Newsom’s stance follows recent trips he made to the World Economic Forum in Switzerland and the Munich Security Conference, where he said he discussed social media age limits with world leaders, including Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. Spain, Malaysia, France, Denmark, and Italy are all exploring similar restrictions. On Wednesday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz signaled he may back a proposal to restrict access for kids under 14.
As noted by Caliber, the push has gained momentum since Australia enacted its ban, citing growing research that platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok can be addictive and harmful to teens’ mental health.
Even with broad political support, the road ahead will likely be rocky. Google, TikTok, and Meta, which owns Facebook, are currently suing to block a 2024 California law requiring parental consent before minors view personalized content feeds, arguing the rule violates free speech. Tech industry group NetChoice, which counts all three as members, has also signaled it may challenge two other California social media laws passed last year: one requiring platforms to show minors health warning labels, and another requiring device-makers like Apple and Google to collect user ages.
The same group of lawmakers behind AB 1709 also introduced a separate bill that would create an independent “eSafety Commission” to enforce digital platform regulations, modeled on a similar Australian agency. Newsom has not yet said whether he supports that measure.
Whether Newsom would back a full outright ban, as Australia has done, remains unclear. Gallegos said that part of his position is still in flux. AB 1709 is expected to face strong opposition from tech companies and critics who call the effort government overreach as it moves through the state legislature.
Recent Comments