The state of California has approved legislation that provides protection for children and teenagers under 18 years old. Titled the AB 2273 the California Age Appropriate Design Code Act was passed in the state assembly by a vote of 33 to 0.
It is an attempt to rein in tech companies and hold them accountable for the possible damage they cause to children.
The act aims to hold social media companies and online services responsible for protecting children and teenagers who use their services, requiring them to curb the risks posed by messaging strangers and to limit the collection and use of minors’ data.
Companies that violate the rules face fines of up to $7,500 per child. The bill is modeled after the Online Safety Bill in the United Kingdom. The bill drew opposition from a coalition of industries including the Chamber of Commerce and TechNet, a trade organisation that represents companies such as Google, Snap, Meta, Amazon and Apple.
Critics of the legislation have argued that the proposed rules are too vague and obscure making it difficult to comply with.
“The requirement that companies consider the ‘best interests’ of children is incredibly difficult to interpret,” said TechNet and the California Chamber of Commerce according to a New York Times report.
The Times also reported that digital privacy group The Electronic Frontier had brought up the issue that the rules could lead to “platforms to set up up elaborate age-verification systems for everyone, meaning that all users would have to submit personal data and submit to more corporate surveillance.”
The final version of the bill includes a 90-day grace period for companies found in violation. The call for more protection for children gained momentum of late thanks to Facebook whistleblower Frances Hagen who released research showing that the company understood the danger that Facebook owned Instagram posed for some teen girls.
The bill will need to be signed by California Governor, Gavin Newsom with the new law expected to take effect in 2024.
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