Are you affected? Millions could lose social media access under new rules this summer

A sweeping push to regulate social media use among young people is gaining momentum in the United States. Lawmakers in key states are moving quickly, and the changes could arrive sooner than many expected. For millions of families, the proposals could reshape how teenagers access popular platforms, and who is allowed online at all.

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What does the proposed social media ban include?

At the center of the debate is California Assembly Bill 1709, a bipartisan proposal aimed at restricting youth access to social media platforms. The bill targets features described as “addictive,” including autoplay videos, infinite scrolling, algorithm-driven recommendations, and push notifications.

If the legislation is passed, children under 16 would be legally barred from creating or maintaining accounts on platforms that use these features. Social media companies would be required to verify user ages and remove accounts belonging to those who fall below the age threshold, as per a report by The US Sun.

Companies that fail to follow the rules could face penalties, although specific consequences have not yet been outlined in the bill’s latest version.

How far along is the bill right now?

The proposal is moving swiftly through the legislative process. It has already cleared both the Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection and the Assembly Committee on Judiciary in quick succession.

A full Assembly vote is expected next month, and the bill has the backing of Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom. Its sponsor, Democratic Assemblyman Josh Lowenthal, believes the bipartisan support gives it a strong chance of becoming law by summer, as per a report by The US Sun.

Lowenthal has argued that social media companies have “unfettered access to vulnerable, developing minds” per the New York Post. He added that companies have made “design choices that malignantly target users’ neurological systems, leading to addiction, depression, and, in grave circumstances, death.”

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Why are lawmakers pushing for these restrictions?

Supporters say the legislation is about protecting young users from harmful digital environments. Surveys from the Pew Research Center show that most teenagers are on platforms like TikTok and YouTube every day, with as many as 16% saying they are online “almost constantly.”

Lawmakers argue that these usage patterns highlight the need for stricter controls, especially when platforms are designed to keep users engaged for extended periods.

Similar concerns are driving proposals in other states as well. Massachusetts, for example, is exploring a slightly different approach—banning children under 14 entirely while allowing those aged 14 and 15 to use social media with parental consent, as per a report by The US Sun.

Democratic State Representatives Aaron Michlewitz and Ron Mariano defended that plan, saying: “This ban would… protect young people from harmful content and addictive algorithms that have a proven negative impact on their mental health.”

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What are critics saying about the proposal?

Not everyone agrees with the direction these policies are taking. Opponents argue that the legislation goes too far and limits personal choice.

Jamie Huff, head of the Civil Justice Association of California, criticized the proposal, saying it “substitutes a blunt government mandate for the protections families actually need.”

“Protecting kids online is important, but banning minors from broad swaths of the internet is now the answer,” she added.

The debate highlights a growing divide over how best to handle the impact of social media on younger users.

Could this become a nationwide rule?

The conversation is no longer limited to individual states. Interest in a broader, nationwide approach has also surfaced.

President Donald Trump has expressed curiosity about similar measures at the federal level, according to his daughter-in-law Lara Trump. While she noted that he is “very interested in it,” she also said she “[doesn’t] know exactly where he stands.”

“I think it’s something that he’s taking an interest in, because… one of the things that is going to always kind of be over us will be social media, will be screens, will be that sort of thing,” she said during an episode of Pod Force One in February.

As lawmakers continue to push forward, the outcome of these proposals could redefine how millions of young Americans interact with social media—and whether they can access it at all.

FAQs

Who could be banned under the new rules?
Children under 16 in California could lose access to certain social media platforms.

When could this take effect?
Lawmakers expect the proposal could become law as early as this summer.