Statement on CA AB 2 Advancing in Senate Appropriations Committee

August 13, 2026 — The Senate Appropriations Committee today advanced AB 2 by Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal, sending the bill to the Senate floor. AB 2 would increase financial penalties on social media platforms whose products are proven in court to have harmed children. Common Sense has sponsored the measure since introduction.

Jim Steyer, Founder and CEO of Common Sense Media, issued the following statement:

"For year social media companies have acted as if children's safety was not their responsibility, but courts are now finding these companies liable for the harms they cause to children. AB 2 incentivizes the largest social media companies to design their products more safely for kids, because if they don't they will pay millions more in penalties. The committee members and Assemblymember Lowenthal have handed California parents real leverage, and the Senate should carry it the rest of the way."

About Common Sense Media

Common Sense Media is the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the research-backed information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the age of apps, algorithms, and AI. We rate, educate, and advocate to protect and prepare kids online. Our ratings, research, and resources reach more than 150 million users globally, over 1.4 million educators, and more than 100,000 schools worldwide every year. Learn more at commonsense.org.