California Bill Targets Addictive Feeds for Teens, Not Banning Them

California Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal's AB 1709 has taken a sharp turn. Originally a bill to ban social media for kids under 16, it now forces platforms to strip out addictive features—infinite scroll, autoplay, algorithmic feeds—or lose underage users entirely. The shift came after critics warned that outright bans would isolate vulnerable teens, especially LGBTQ kids, and raise privacy and free speech concerns.

The bill defines an “addictive feature” as any “psychologically exploitative feature intended to maximize engagement that foreseeably leads to compulsive use.” Companies have until 2028 to comply. If they don't, teens under 16 won't be allowed to create accounts. An oversight group will advise the California Attorney General's Office on enforcement.

Lowenthal told SFGATE the change was inspired by Australia's social media ban, but he backed off after hearing from advocates who argued age-gating does more harm than good. The new version puts the onus on companies: “We’re not banning kids from riding skateboards when we tell them to use a helmet,” he said. “The bill entails to ban social media from accessing young people if they are using these harmful features.”

Tech lobbyists, including TechNet's Rob Boykin, initially opposed a ban but now “appreciate” the amendments. Meta, which spent $65 million on California lobbying, pushed for parental controls as a middle ground—Lowenthal rejected that outright. “I don’t see Big Tech as the problem, I see them as the solution,” he said, arguing that Wall Street pressure drives addiction.

The bill now heads to the Senate Appropriations Committee. If it passes, it could force every major social platform to redesign their feeds for millions of users—or lose an entire demographic. For engineers, this means rethinking engagement loops, recommendation algorithms, and UI patterns that have been standard for a decade.

The core question: can you build a sticky social experience without infinite scroll and autoplay? Lowenthal thinks so. The industry may have to prove him right.