Appeals Court Rules Against California Child Safety Law

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has ruled that key provisions of California's Age-Appropriate Design Code Act likely violate the First Amendment, specifically criticizing its requirement for companies to assess and report potential online harms to children. The court found that this requirement could compel speech and effectively make businesses 'censors' of content deemed harmful. Although the law aims to protect children by enforcing stricter privacy settings and data collection practices, the judges suggested that California could use less restrictive means to achieve its goals, such as education and voluntary content filtering. The ruling follows a preliminary injunction that blocked parts of the law, with the court affirming some prohibitions while leaving other provisions open for reconsideration. Critics, including the trade group NetChoice, argue that such regulations stifle free speech and impose undue burdens on tech companies. The case highlights ongoing legal debates over child protection laws in the digital age.