California kids will see warning labels on social media in 2027
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- California law will require daily surgeon general warnings on social media apps
- Warnings display 10 seconds for teens, repeat after three hours for 30s
- Tech groups opposed; new laws signed Monday also regulate AI companions and deepfakes
Beginning in January 2027, California teens who open social media apps such as Instagram, Tiktok and Snapchat will get a daily warning, written in black text on a white background:
“The Surgeon General has warned that while social media may have benefits for some young users, social media is associated with significant mental health harms and has not been proven safe for young users.”
Unless they click out of it, the warning will show for 10 seconds. If they use the app for three hours that day, they’ll see the warning again, and won’t be able to click out of it for 30 seconds.
The idea is to mimic the surgeon general warnings on cigarettes. The new rule is the result of a law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom Monday morning, part of a package meant to strengthen protections for children online.
Assembly Bill 56, authored by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, D-Orinda, originally required a 90 second unpassable warning at the beginning of usage. After three hours, it would have been displayed to all users, not just minors. The measure was weakened as it moved through committees in the Legislature.
However, the central impetus to honor the 2024 call of former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy remains.
“Mounting evidence shows that online addiction in children is a widespread problem, with troubling implications for their mental health and well-being,” said Bauer-Kahan in support of the bill. “More time on social media tends to be correlated with depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and interference with daily life, including establishing healthy sleep patterns.”
In his plea to put warning labels on social media, Murthy cited evidence that shows young people who spend more than three hours a day on social media are at heightened risk of mental health problems.
The legislation was opposed by the tech industry lobbying group TechNet, which argued the warning labels would infringe on users’ free speech rights “by creating a significant barrier to access information and communicate with others.”
Other bills signed into law Monday morning included bills to regulate AI companion chatbots, crack down on deepfake pornography, and strengthen age verification tools so minors don’t access inappropriate apps.