California Signs Bill Regulatory Chatbots, Deepfakes, And Social Media Age Restrictions For Children

JAKARTA - California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill aimed at strengthening child protection in cyberspace, and regulating the use of new technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI).

The bill adds mandatory features for platforms such as age verification, protocols for overcoming suicide and self-injury, social media-related warnings, and accompanying chatbots, as well as heavier penalties for illegal deepfake content.

In its official statement, Newsom stated that new technologies such as chatbots and social media can inspire, educate, and connect, but without a real barrier, technology can also exploit, be misleading, and endanger children.

"We will not remain silent while the company continues to operate without the necessary restrictions and accountability. The safety of our children is not for sale," Newsom said on the official California government website.

The newly passed bill includes a number of important steps, including:

Protection of AI Chatbots: Companion chatbot platforms must have protocols to handle users who show signs of depression, suicide ideas, or self-injury behavior. Chatbots must also explain that conversations are artificial and should not display sexually explicit content to minors.

Age Verification: Operating systems and app stores are required to provide an age verification mechanism to prevent children from accessing harmful content.

Social Media Warning Label: The platform should display warnings about potential risks of social media use in the long term.

Heavyer Sentences for the Pornography Deepfake: Victims, including minors, can now demand civil compensation of up to USD 250,000 (IDR 4.14 billion) for actions against parties facilitating the distribution of explicit non-consensual content.

Anti-Ciber Bullying guidelines: California Education Offices are required to set a model policy to deal with cases of cyberbullying that occur outside of school hours, which must be adopted by every educational institution no later than June 1, 2026.

Responsibility to AI: AI makers and users cannot take cover behind claims of tech autonomy' to avoid legal responsibility for the negative impact of the system they create.