California and South Carolina Ban Addictive Social Media for Minors

Lawmakers in California and South Carolina have advanced legislative efforts to curb the use of addictive social media features for minors. In California, the state Assembly unanimously passed AB 1709, a bill authored by Josh Lowenthal. The legislation prohibits platforms utilizing addictive feeds from offering accounts to users under 16 and mandates the implementation of reasonable age verification processes to target engagement tools like autoplay and algorithm-driven feeds.

Similarly, Governor Henry McMaster of South Carolina signed a law that takes effect on January 1, 2027. This law applies to platforms with more than $1 billion in advertising revenue, banning infinite scrolling and automatic video playback for users under 16. The South Carolina measure further requires the creation of parental control dashboards and prohibits targeted advertising directed at minors.

These developments reflect a bipartisan push to address the impact of social media on children. In California, Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan framed the move as a necessary intervention for youth safety, while South Carolina Representative Brandon Guffey emphasized the need to stop platforms from marketing directly to children and exploiting dopamine-driven feedback loops.