Merced, CA (February 20, 2026) — Gov. Gavin Newsom is backing a legislative proposal that would establish a minimum age requirement for social media accounts in California, according to the bill text currently under consideration in the State Legislature.
Assembly Bill 1709, introduced in the 2025–2026 Regular Session of the California Legislature on February 4, 2026, states the Legislature’s intent “to enact legislation to establish a minimum age requirement to open or maintain a social media account.” As currently drafted, the bill does not specify the age threshold or outline enforcement mechanisms. The measure remains in committee and has not yet been enacted into law.
The proposal follows a prior youth-focused social media law signed by Newsom in September 2024. Senate Bill 976, known as the Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act, was chaptered into California statute in 2024.
SB 976 prohibits social media companies from providing what the law defines as an “addictive feed” to a minor unless the company does not have actual knowledge that the user is under 18 or has obtained verifiable parental consent. The statute defines an addictive feed as content recommended to a user based on information about that user or their device, rather than content displayed chronologically.
The law also requires platforms to provide parents with tools to manage notification settings and usage for minors. Implementation of SB 976 has been subject to federal court litigation, and portions of the law have faced legal challenges.
As of publication, California has not enacted a blanket ban on social media access for minors. Any statewide age-based restriction would require passage of AB 1709 or similar legislation through both houses of the Legislature and the governor’s signature before becoming law.
Legislative hearings on AB 1709 are expected as the bill advances through the committee process.
