On January 3, 2025, a federal district court in California issued a ruling affecting the state's social media age verification law, SB 976. The court determined that certain provisions of the law, which would require social media platforms to obtain parental consent for minors' personalized feeds, would not take effect until 2027. This delay is due to the absence of specific guidelines from the state for implementing these requirements.
The law, which aims to limit minors' access to personalized feeds and notifications during school hours, has raised concerns among free speech advocates. Critics argue that the requirement for age verification could undermine anonymity on social media platforms. The court's preliminary injunction specifically blocked provisions that would restrict notifications for minors during designated hours, citing fairness issues with other applications.
Judge Edward Davila noted that while the arguments against the law's age verification requirements were compelling, the matter is not ready for review until California issues further regulations. The court also stated that the plaintiffs, NetChoice, failed to demonstrate that the First Amendment protections applicable to personalized feeds are relevant in this case.
The California Attorney General's office expressed its intention to continue defending SB 976, asserting that the law is supported by various stakeholders, including educators and public health professionals. The future of the law remains uncertain as the state prepares to establish its regulatory framework.