California is set to begin forcing social media companies to slap recurring warning labels on user content, as part of two controversial bills advancing through the legislature that critics slam as blatant state overreach into digital freedoms. One measure mandates these labels to alert users to potential harms, while the other could pave the way for invasive surveillance of private AI chatbot conversations—all under the pretext of safeguarding public health.
These bills have ignited fierce backlash, with opponents arguing they represent a slippery slope toward government censorship and privacy erosion in an already regulated online landscape. The warning label requirement, in particular, could compel platforms like Facebook and Twitter to interrupt feeds with constant disclaimers, stifling free expression and burdening companies with compliance costs.
Infowars.com reports: Assembly Bill 56 has passed a second reading in the state Senate. If enacted, it would require platforms to show users a black-box style warning about the “harms” of prolonged social media use. These alerts would appear when a user first opens an app, again after three hours of activity, and once an hour after that.
Supporters claim the measure addresses concerns around mental health and digital addiction. “Shows that California remains committed to leading on the issues that matter most to our families,” said Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, D-Orinda, who introduced the bill.
But technology trade groups such as TechNet, whose members include Meta and Snap, argue that these pop-ups would interfere with user experience and may set a precedent for expanding state control over online platforms.
Also advancing is Assembly Bill 243. This bill targets so-called “companion chatbots,” requiring companies that operate them to monitor conversations for mentions of suicide or self-harm.
The companies would have to track and report statistics about these interactions to the state’s Office of Suicide Prevention every year.
The only way to comply with the bill would be for companies to monitor user conversations continuously. That reality has raised fears that the state is on the verge of endorsing widespread surveillance of digital interactions under the label of safety.
The bill has cleared its second reading in the Assembly and now heads for a floor vote.
