A new California law restricts algorithmic recommendations to minors. Meta, Google and TikTok are challenging the rule in court. The outcome could impact platform features and user experience.
Major social platforms are moving quickly to block a California law that would limit how they recommend content to users under 18. Meta Platforms, Google and TikTok have asked a federal judge to stop enforcement of the 2024 Protecting Our Kids From Social Media Addiction Act (SB976), which requires parental consent before platforms can use algorithms to suggest posts to minors.
The companies argue that complying with the law would force them to overhaul core features, especially personalized feeds that drive engagement and retention. In court filings, Meta's Vice President of Engineering, Lars Backstrom, said the changes would fundamentally alter Facebook, Instagram and Threads for California users, reducing the value and usability of these services for young audiences.
Last week, U.S. District Court Judge Edward Davila rejected the platforms' claim that the law violates the First Amendment. Davila ruled that algorithmic recommendations do not constitute protected expressive speech, emphasizing that algorithm-driven curation is not the same as editorial judgment. The platforms have appealed this decision to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and are seeking an injunction to pause the law until the appeal is resolved.
TikTok, in its request for an injunction, argued that the court's reasoning could set a precedent allowing the government to restrict how publishers recommend content based on user interests. Google echoed this concern, warning that the ruling could have broad implications for online platforms and their users. The companies maintain that personalized recommendations are a form of editorial choice and should be protected under the First Amendment.
Legal battles over youth access and parental consent requirements are becoming more common. For example, a recent federal court decision in Ohio upheld a similar law, signaling that state-level regulation of social media platforms is likely to remain a contentious issue for publishers and technology companies.
Meta Platforms, founded in 2004 as Facebook, reported over 3 billion monthly active users across its family of apps in 2025. Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., remains the world's largest search and advertising platform, while TikTok, owned by ByteDance, has surpassed 1.5 billion global users. These companies generate significant revenue from personalized content feeds, making regulatory changes to recommendation algorithms a critical business concern.
