Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 1043, a law dedicated to furthering children’s safety in the face of new technologies, on Oct. 13.
Also known as the Digital Assurance Act, AB 1043 promises numerous digital features on platforms such as Google and Meta. These include new safeguards on AI chatbots, required age verifications, social media warning labels, stronger penalties for deepfake pornography, guidance to prevent cyberbullying and clear accountability for harm caused by AI technology.
The bill’s main feature, age verification for digital devices, prompts parents to enter their children’s date of birth or age. Device manufacturers will then place the user into one of four age brackets while informing apps such as Instagram and Facebook of their ages. Based on this information, these websites would adjust their content according to the age of the child.
The bill also prevents AI chatbots from representing themselves as health care professionals and platforms, mandating them to disclose that interactions are artificially generated.
Companies such as Meta, Google, Snap and OpenAI, supported the legislation. The bill is also co-sponsored by the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC) and Children Now, two of the leading organizations advocating for children’s safety and privacy protections in digital media.
“This Pro-Kid bill is a huge step towards protecting kids from harmful online behavior and should serve as a national model for keeping kids safe online,” Children Now President Ted Lempert said. “Online experiences are exacerbating our youth mental health crisis and it is critical that Governor Newsom listens to this unified call from diverse organizations across California and signs AB 1043 into law.”
However, the Motion Picture Association urged Newsom to reject the bill, under the technicality that device-based age checks are a cause for confusion when parents and kids use separate streaming profiles under one account. The bill would create operational issues that could negatively impact the company.
The legislation promises a future where emerging technological advancements have the potential to grow in a space where children’s safety is still paramount.
“Emerging technology like chatbots and social media can inspire, educate and connect — but without real guardrails, technology can exploit, mislead and endanger our kids. We’ve seen some truly horrific and tragic examples of young people harmed by unregulated tech, and we won’t stand while companies continue without necessary limits and accountability. We can continue to lead in AI and technology, but we must do it responsibly — protecting our children every step of the way. Our children’s safety is not for sale,” Newsom said in a statement.
Democratic state Assemblymember Buffy Wicks authored AB 1043 with the intent to separate it from prior age verification laws in Utah and Texas. She notes that it is more balanced and privacy protective since it does not require the use of photo IDs for age verification.
“California’s children are growing up in an online world with no guardrails, leaving them vulnerable to cyberbullying, sextortion and mental health harms. This is simply unacceptable,” Wicks said in a statement. “AB 1043 offers a scalable, privacy-first approach that helps keep kids safe while holding tech companies accountable.”
Sophia Porayouw is a News Intern for the fall 2025 quarter. She can be reached at sporayou@uci.edu.
Edited by Joshua Gonzales