United States of America: Issued injunction against Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act (Netchoice v Bonta)

On 31 December 2024, the US District Court for the Northern District of California issued an injunction against the enforcement of certain provisions of the Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act (SB 976). The court upheld most of the law, which aims to restrict social media companies from using addictive algorithmic feeds and notifications targeting minors. Default settings requiring parental controls and private modes for minors were largely upheld as they are minimally restrictive. However, the court blocked two provisions on free speech grounds, ruling that they likely violated the First Amendment. The injunction temporarily halts the enforcement of the notification restrictions and compelled disclosure requirements pending further legal proceedings.