On Thursday, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) signed legislation to protect children online and while using artificial intelligence (AI).

The new laws are aimed at protecting children under 16 and forbid social media companies from providing addictive features to kids in this age group. The legislation also tightens safeguards for companion AI chatbots, including crisis guidelines for suicidal tendencies and parental controls, among other things.

The legislation also expands the ambit of child sexual exploitation to include any AI-generated or digitally changed content that shows children under 18 engaged in any explicit act. It also prohibits social media platforms from offering children under 16 addictive features such as autoplay, infinite scroll and certain algorithmically recommended content feeds.

“Today’s legislation makes clear that California will not stand by while unregulated technology puts our children at risk,” said Newsom.

The measures also include a four-year ban on the sale of AI chatbot-powered toys for children, per a Reuters report.

Social media giant Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:META) and YouTube, owned by Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL), did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comment.

Read Also: US Tech Sector Pushes Back Against UK’s Child Safety Social Media Regulations

Big Tech’s Social Media And AI Conundrum

Last month, Meta agreed to pay about $18 billion to resolve claims from 29 states that it designed its platforms to addict children. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) noted that the settlement was "a good step forward" but added that much more needed to be done.

Earlier this week, Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:MSFT) and certain teachers’ unions signed an agreement to set up legally enforceable protections to safeguard students, families and educators from AI misuse in classrooms.

Children Safety on Social Media a Global Issue

The U.K. government is reportedly planning to enforce legislation requiring Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Google to block explicit images on children’s smartphones.

Last month, Meta said noted that it deactivated over 756,000 Australian accounts suspected of belonging to children under 16 to comply with the country’s landmark social media ban that took effect in December last year.

See More: Top Value Stocks

Photo courtesy: Shutterstock