Health warnings on social media sites

California, home to some of the world's largest tech companies, could become the first U.S. state to require mental health warning labels on social media platforms if a new bill introduced Monday passes.

Sponsored by state Attorney General Rob Bonta, the legislation is designed to enhance online safety for children, according to supporters. However, tech industry representatives argue the bill infringes on free speech rights under the First Amendment and vow to challenge it. The push for social media warning labels gained momentum after U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy urged Congress to act, citing social media's role in the mental health crisis among young people.

“These companies are aware of the harm their products cause but refuse to take action,” Bonta stated during a Monday press conference. “It’s time for us to step in and demand change.”

Although specific details of the bill have not been disclosed, Bonta indicated that the warning labels could appear weekly.

According to a 2022 Pew Research Center report, up to 95% of teens aged 13 to 17 use social media, with more than a third on almost constantly. In November, Australia became the first country to pass a law banning social media for children under 16, spurred by similar parental concerns.

"The promise of social media has been overshadowed by the way companies commodify our children’s attention," said Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, who authored the bill. “These companies are profiting off our kids’ well-being.”

Todd O’Boyle, vice president of the Chamber of Progress, a tech industry policy group, criticized the bill, calling it "constitutionally unsound" and predicting that courts would strike it down as "compelled speech."

Victoria Hinks, whose 16-year-old daughter Alexandra died by suicide after being exposed to harmful content on social media, supported the bill. “Social media played a role in leading her to that final, irreversible decision,” Hinks said. "This could be your story."

Common Sense Media, a sponsor of the bill, plans to advocate for similar measures in other states.

Over the past decade, California has taken a leading role in regulating the tech industry to protect children. In 2022, it became the first state to prohibit platforms from using personal data in ways that could harm minors. It also sued Meta in 2023 and TikTok in 2024 for creating addictive features that exploit children’s attention.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed several bills to address the impact of social media on youth, including one that limits the use of smartphones on school campuses and another that restricts addictive feeds for children without parental consent.

While federal lawmakers are considering child online safety measures, the last federal law protecting children online was passed in 1998, six years before Facebook launched.