Trending...
- First Partner Siebel Newsom celebrates California's nation-leading Farm to School program at statewide summit - 180
- Governor Newsom supports nearly 700,000 earn and learn opportunities, announces 49,000 new apprenticeships for Californians - 174
- California secures federal assistance to support response to Norte Fire in Orange County - 119
News
Oct 13, 2025
Governor Newsom signs bills to further strengthen California's leadership in protecting children online
What you need to know: Governor Newsom signed legislation to further protect children online and address emerging threats as technology continues to develop — maintaining the state's position as a national leader in both safeguarding kids and encouraging innovation.
SACRAMENTO – Governor Newsom today signed new landmark legislation to further strengthen the state's protections for children online and create safeguards for new and emerging technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI). The legislation adds required features for platforms and products such as age verification, protocols to address suicide and self-harm, warnings regarding social media and companion chatbots, and stronger penalties for those who profit from illegal deepfakes — helping to ensure children's safety remains front and center.
"Emerging technology like chatbots and social media can inspire, educate, and connect – but without real guardrails, technology can also exploit, mislead, and endanger our kids. We've seen some truly horrific and tragic examples of young people harmed by unregulated tech, and we won't stand by while companies continue without necessary limits and accountability. We can continue to lead in AI and technology, but we must do it responsibly — protecting our children every step of the way. Our children's safety is not for sale."
Governor Gavin Newsom
"Everything we do begins with our children — their safety, their health, and their well-being. California has always led in innovation, but true leadership also means setting limits when it matters most, because our kids deserve a world that values them more than the technology around them. These bills establish guardrails that protect our children's health and safety while ensuring innovation moves forward responsibly, showing that we can have both at once, always with future generations in mind."
First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom
California has long stood as a bold leader in protecting children from the danger of emerging technology. Today's signings follow other landmark legislation to protect children from social media addiction, strong privacy requirements, and nation-leading transparency measures.
The bills will help protect children online by creating:
✅ New safeguards on AI chatbots by establishing requirements that "companion chatbot" platforms create protocols to identify and address users' suicidal ideation or expressions of self-harm. Platforms must also disclose that interactions are artificially generated, and minors must be provided break reminders and prevented from viewing sexually explicit images generated by the chatbot. Platforms will be required to share protocols for dealing with self-harm and statistics regarding how often they provided users with crisis center prevention notifications to the Department of Public Health. Legislation also establishes a prohibition against chatbots representing themselves as health care professionals.
More on The Californer
✅ Required age verifications by operating system and app store providers to help prevent children from accessing inappropriate or dangerous content online.
✅ Social media warning labels to help warn young users about the harms associated with extended use of social media platforms.
✅ Stronger penalties for deepfake pornography by expanding the cause of action to allow victims, including minors, to seek civil relief of up to $250,000 per action against third parties who knowingly facilitate or aid in the distribution of nonconsensual sexually explicit material.
✅ Guidance to prevent cyberbullying through requiring the California Department of Education (CDE), on or before June 1, 2026, to adopt a model policy on how to address reported acts of cyberbullying that occur outside of school hours, and requires local educational agencies to adopt the resulting policy or a similar policy developed with local input.
✅ Clear accountability for harm caused by AI technology by preventing those who develop, alter, or use artificial intelligence from escaping liability by asserting that the technology acted autonomously.
The full list of the signed bills to protect children and strengthen the safety of technology and online platforms include:
*previously signed
More on The Californer
First Partner, Press releases, Recent news
https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/facebook?linkur..." rel="nofollow">https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/x?linkurl=https...">https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/email?linkurl=h...">https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/copy_link?linku...">Recent news
Governor Newsom signs bill to protect parents' rights and children
Oct 12, 2025
News What you need to know: Adding to the already robust network of laws that help children and families feel safe at school, Governor Newsom today signed into law legislation to bring those same protections to licensed childcare facilities and preschools. SACRAMENTO...
Governor Newsom issues legislative update 10.11.25
Oct 11, 2025
News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that he has signed the following bills:AB 14 by Assemblymember Gregg Hart (D-Santa Barbara) – Coastal resources: Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program.AB 79 by Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula...
Governor Newsom signs SB 41 to lower the cost of prescription drugs
Oct 11, 2025
News What you need to know: Governor Newsom today announced that he signed SB 41 to reduce prescription drug prices by regulating the practices of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), which negotiate prices between drug manufacturers, health care insurance providers, and...
Oct 13, 2025
Governor Newsom signs bills to further strengthen California's leadership in protecting children online
What you need to know: Governor Newsom signed legislation to further protect children online and address emerging threats as technology continues to develop — maintaining the state's position as a national leader in both safeguarding kids and encouraging innovation.
SACRAMENTO – Governor Newsom today signed new landmark legislation to further strengthen the state's protections for children online and create safeguards for new and emerging technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI). The legislation adds required features for platforms and products such as age verification, protocols to address suicide and self-harm, warnings regarding social media and companion chatbots, and stronger penalties for those who profit from illegal deepfakes — helping to ensure children's safety remains front and center.
"Emerging technology like chatbots and social media can inspire, educate, and connect – but without real guardrails, technology can also exploit, mislead, and endanger our kids. We've seen some truly horrific and tragic examples of young people harmed by unregulated tech, and we won't stand by while companies continue without necessary limits and accountability. We can continue to lead in AI and technology, but we must do it responsibly — protecting our children every step of the way. Our children's safety is not for sale."
Governor Gavin Newsom
"Everything we do begins with our children — their safety, their health, and their well-being. California has always led in innovation, but true leadership also means setting limits when it matters most, because our kids deserve a world that values them more than the technology around them. These bills establish guardrails that protect our children's health and safety while ensuring innovation moves forward responsibly, showing that we can have both at once, always with future generations in mind."
First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom
California has long stood as a bold leader in protecting children from the danger of emerging technology. Today's signings follow other landmark legislation to protect children from social media addiction, strong privacy requirements, and nation-leading transparency measures.
The bills will help protect children online by creating:
✅ New safeguards on AI chatbots by establishing requirements that "companion chatbot" platforms create protocols to identify and address users' suicidal ideation or expressions of self-harm. Platforms must also disclose that interactions are artificially generated, and minors must be provided break reminders and prevented from viewing sexually explicit images generated by the chatbot. Platforms will be required to share protocols for dealing with self-harm and statistics regarding how often they provided users with crisis center prevention notifications to the Department of Public Health. Legislation also establishes a prohibition against chatbots representing themselves as health care professionals.
More on The Californer
- Isee Hair Introduces New Feather Wigs for Lightweight, Comfortable Everyday Styling
- The Glass Guru Enterprises, Inc. Announces Rob Lopez as Brand President
- Rock Artist Seraphina Featured in FYC Campaign for Her Music Release 'Labyrinth'
- Mr Hospital Bed Cites Hill Rom Hospital Bed Models Best Value Home Care Hospital Beds 2026
- Redcort Releases Virtual TimeClock 26 with New Time Off and Payroll Integration Features
✅ Required age verifications by operating system and app store providers to help prevent children from accessing inappropriate or dangerous content online.
✅ Social media warning labels to help warn young users about the harms associated with extended use of social media platforms.
✅ Stronger penalties for deepfake pornography by expanding the cause of action to allow victims, including minors, to seek civil relief of up to $250,000 per action against third parties who knowingly facilitate or aid in the distribution of nonconsensual sexually explicit material.
✅ Guidance to prevent cyberbullying through requiring the California Department of Education (CDE), on or before June 1, 2026, to adopt a model policy on how to address reported acts of cyberbullying that occur outside of school hours, and requires local educational agencies to adopt the resulting policy or a similar policy developed with local input.
✅ Clear accountability for harm caused by AI technology by preventing those who develop, alter, or use artificial intelligence from escaping liability by asserting that the technology acted autonomously.
The full list of the signed bills to protect children and strengthen the safety of technology and online platforms include:
- AB 56 by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda). Social media: warning labels.
- AB 316 by Assemblymember Maggy Krell (D-Sacramento). Artificial intelligence: defenses.
- AB 489 by Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D-Oakland). Health care professions: deceptive terms or letters: artificial intelligence.*
- AB 566 by Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal (D-Long Beach). California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018: opt-out preference signal.*
- AB 621 by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda). Deepfake pornography.
- AB 656 by Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo (D-Santa Clarita). Account cancellation.*
- AB 772 by Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal (D-Long Beach). Cyberbullying: off-campus acts: model policy.*
- AB 853 by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland). California AI Transparency Act. A signing message can be found here.
- AB 979 by Assemblymember Jacquie Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks). California Cybersecurity Integration Center: artificial intelligence.*
- AB 1043 by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland). Age verification signals: software applications and online services.
- SB 50 by Senator Angelique Ashby (D-Sacramento). Connected devices: device protection requests.
- SB 53 by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco). Artificial intelligence models: large developers.*
- SB 243 by Senator Steve Padilla (D-San Diego). Companion chatbots.
- SB 361 by Senator Josh Becker (D‑Menlo Park). Data brokers: data collection and deletion.*
- SB 446 by Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Bakersfield). Data breaches: customer notification.*
- SB 524 by Senator Jesse Arreguín (D-Berkeley). Law enforcement agencies: artificial intelligence.*
*previously signed
More on The Californer
- THE DASH CAM: THINKWARE Announces Halloween Savings on Dash Cams
- City of Long Beach Announces Retirement of Chief of Police Wally Hebeish
- San Diego Plastic Surgeon Dr. Paul Chasan Highlights the "Thong Lift" as an Approach to Sagging Skin
- California: Governor Newsom announces new staff-led initiative at Corcoran to support rehabilitation and reentry
- Registration for Long Beach's Winter Recreation Classes Begins Nov. 2
First Partner, Press releases, Recent news
https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/facebook?linkur..." rel="nofollow">https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/x?linkurl=https...">https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/email?linkurl=h...">https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/copy_link?linku...">Recent news
Governor Newsom signs bill to protect parents' rights and children
Oct 12, 2025
News What you need to know: Adding to the already robust network of laws that help children and families feel safe at school, Governor Newsom today signed into law legislation to bring those same protections to licensed childcare facilities and preschools. SACRAMENTO...
Governor Newsom issues legislative update 10.11.25
Oct 11, 2025
News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that he has signed the following bills:AB 14 by Assemblymember Gregg Hart (D-Santa Barbara) – Coastal resources: Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program.AB 79 by Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula...
Governor Newsom signs SB 41 to lower the cost of prescription drugs
Oct 11, 2025
News What you need to know: Governor Newsom today announced that he signed SB 41 to reduce prescription drug prices by regulating the practices of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), which negotiate prices between drug manufacturers, health care insurance providers, and...
0 Comments
Latest on The Californer
- Wisdom trumps wrinkles: 66% of Aussie women wouldn't turn back the clock
- City of Long Beach Celebrates New Fire Station 9 with Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony
- The Pulse of Entertainment: Take 'A Walk on the Wild Side…' From Shanachie Entertainment
- Attorney Jason M. Sullivan Quoted in The Telegraph on Trump's $10 Billion BBC Lawsuit
- California: Trump DOJ makes shocking admissions; taken to task for latest allegations of voter fraud
- City of Long Beach Preparing for Upcoming Weather Event, Encourages Residents to Take Precautions
- Sierra North Valley Realtors To Host Halloween "cocktail Shake-off" Fundraiser At The Westport
- FAME Transportation Launches Smart Airport Booking and Travel Planning System
- Impact & Influence November 2026: Joel Rodriguez Tirado on Gratitude, Family & Legacy
- Sycamore Dove Releases "Loving Every Moment"
- DocJax, a 2009 Document Search Engine, Relaunches for Public Domain Government Records
- Pre-Orders Open for Conditioned, a New Leadership Book From Allen Weaver, PhD
- Ethics & Etiquette in American Business
- Hospital Direct Medical Equipment Company Seeing Growth in Used Refurbished Medical Equipment Sales
- Scoop Social Co. Brings Its Signature Mobile Dessert Experience to Nashville
- NEW: California revenues come in $2.9 billion above forecast as state's innovation economy continues to grow
- Soft & Sweet Unveils New Studio Location and Website for All-Natural Sugaring in Las Vegas
- Beyond Popularity Rankings, The World's No.1 Superstar® Wins Best Pop Music Video for "Under Your Spell"
- Bandero Premium Tequila Debuts First Reposado, Aged in Three Types of Oak
- Simpalm Staffing Launches Tax Preparer Staffing for U.S. CPA Firms