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Engadget · September 11, 2026

CA governor signs 'landmark' laws on youth use of social media and AI chatbots

Public PolicyLawEdTech
THE AI ANGLE
Interacting with youth while facing mandatory safety audits, interaction limits, and student data restrictions

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed landmark legislation restricting youth interactions with AI chatbots and social media, imposing time limits, mandatory child safety audits, and potential legal liability for non-compliant tech companies. The package also regulates AI systems' use of K-12 student data and expands the definition of child sexual exploitation to cover generative AI content. For instructors in law, policy, and educational technology, these laws represent an aggressive regulatory model that directly impacts institutional data practices and sets a precedent for tech governance.

THE TEACHING ANGLE
Students can examine the legal and policy tension between protecting youth via platform restrictions and risk audits versus the heightened privacy risks caused by mandatory age verification.

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