California

Emerging Action

California at a glance

California’s Attorney General is actively holding tech companies accountable.
California will prohibit addictive algorithmic feeds for minors without parental consent starting in 2027.
California’s Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Act prohibits addictive algorithmic feeds for minors without parental consent.
California requires school districts to adopt phone policies, but does not mandate bell-to-bell restrictions.
California does not yet have a reasonable childhood independence law.

Areas of Opportunity

Expanding the statewide phone policy to require bell-to-bell restrictions will bring focused learning and real connection back to all California schools.
Passing a reasonable childhood independence law will protect California's families from unfair charges of neglect.
Setting a social media age minimum of 16 with no parental consent loophole will solve the collective action problem for California families.
Revising the Age-Appropriate Design Code to address constitutional concerns will ensure these protections for kids remain in place.
Creating legal pathways for families to sue tech companies for harm will help California hold big tech accountable.

These opportunities are within reach for your home state. Download our policy menu, reach out to us, and reclaim childhood in California.

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Dive Deeper

Childhood Development Policies

Is the state helping to solve the collective action problems families face by adopting policies that support a healthier real-world childhood?

Distraction-Free Schools
California requires districts to adopt phone policies, but does not mandate bell-to-bell restrictions. View the state’s Phone-Free Schools Report Card.
Childhood Independence
California does not yet have a reasonable childhood independence law, leaving too much discretion to the authorities and putting parents at risk of unfair neglect charges.

Political Leadership

Is the governor championing kids' safety, and is the Office of the Attorney General using its power to hold big tech accountable?

Attorney General Leadership
Attorney General Rob Bonta has been active on tech accountability, serving as a lead state in the TikTok lawsuit and joining the multistate lawsuit against Meta. California has also called for action on kids’ online safety by signing the AI Child Safety Letter, AI Local Authority Letter, and the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) Letter.

Tech Policies

What is the state doing to address harmful tech and hold companies accountable?

Social Media Age Limits
California has not yet set a social media age minimum of 16, but California's Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act requires age assurance and will prohibit addictive algorithmic feeds for minors starting in 2027 — an approach that has been upheld by a court. It allows an exception for parental consent.
Harmful Design Regulation
California's Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act prohibits addictive algorithmic feeds for minors without parental consent, effective January 2027. So far, the law has been upheld by the courts.
Tech Accountability
While California has some policies that regulate harmful tech, they generally lack clear language enabling families to seek accountability for harms suffered to children.
Incentivizing Safer Tech
The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) restricts businesses from selling children’s data without parental consent.

Family Perceptions

What do parents in the state say about their children's tech use, opportunities for independence, and real-life interactions?

IFS Resilient Childhood Score
Medium. California parents report that their kids experience:
- Moderate levels of independent, unsupervised activity
- Moderate time spent playing outside and socializing with friends
- Moderate screen time, device ownership, and tech use

This page was last updated on March 4, 2026. The Childhood Index highlights key policies and actions and is not intended to be a comprehensive list. If there’s something you think we missed or should consider, we welcome your feedback.

Geographic Neighbors