Statement on California Senate Judiciary Passage of AB 2 to Hold Social Media Platforms Accountable for Harming Kids

SAN FRANCISCO, July 1, 2026—Common Sense Media Founder and CEO James P. Steyer issued the following statement after the California Senate Judiciary Committee passed AB 2 (Lowenthal), which sharply increases the financial penalties social media platforms face when their products are proven in court to have injured children:

"This bill hits social media companies where they actually feel it: their bottom lines. It raises the cost of harming children in California to one million dollars per victim, or three times the amount a judge or jury awards in a case – whichever is the higher amount. It applies to the largest platforms, the same platforms that, despite having the most resources to build safer products for our kids, have refused to bother.

"Common Sense Media has sponsored this bill across multiple legislative sessions because these companies have proven they will not act on their own. They've known their products are hurting kids. Whistleblowers, internal documents, and a Los Angeles jury have all found that to be true. AB 2 is intended to pressure companies to make their products safer for kids by making them pay a higher financial penalty when they cause harm to a child or teen in our state.

"We thank Assemblymember Lowenthal for his years of leadership on this bill and we thank the Senate Judiciary Committee and Chairman Umberg for advancing it. We urge the full Senate to send AB 2 to the Governor's desk. California's kids cannot wait."

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.