Act Now to Stop California’s Paternalistic and Privacy-Destroying Social Media Ban
Call your State Senator.
Call ONE of the Assemblymembers. Note: only one of these Assemblymembers represents you. Find out which one here.
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Call Script
Hi, my name is [name] and I am calling from [zip code]. I am a member of Indivisible SF. As your constituent, I urge you to vote NO on A.B. 1709. This bill is a direct threat to the First Amendment, consumer privacy, and California’s fiscal health.
A.B. 1709's requirement that all Californians must verify their ages would force everyone to choose between their privacy and their speech. Requiring biometric scans or government IDs to access social media creates a massive security risk for every user.
The bill also relies on inaccurate and incomplete research regarding the impact of social media. For many marginalized youth — including LGBTQ+ teens — online spaces are essential for safety and support. A blanket ban ignores these nuances and puts vulnerable young people at risk.
Additionally, I am deeply concerned by the fiscal recklessness of this proposal. At a time when California is facing an $18 billion budget deficit, creating a new e-Safety Advisory Commission is an irresponsible use of taxpayer funds.
Lastly, family decisions belong to families, not the state. Parents — not the state — should be the ones deciding when their children are ready to use social media.
Please prioritize constitutional rights and fiscal responsibility by voting NO on AB 1709.
Background
A.B. 1709 weaponizes legitimate parental concerns by using them to hand over even more censorship and surveillance power to the government. Beneath its shiny “protect the children” rhetoric, this bill is misguided, unconstitutional, and deeply harmful to users of all ages. This bill recklessly violates free speech rights and jeopardizes everyone’s privacy, all while harming the youth that it claims to protect, especially LGBTQ+ marginalized youth.
See this call-to-action from EFF for more information.
By banning access to social media platforms for young people under 16, California is emulating Australia, where early results show exactly what the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)) and other critics predicted:
Blocking by platforms, leaving youth without support and even adults barred from access
Major spikes in VPN use and other workarounds ranging from clever to desperate
Smaller platforms shutting down rather than attempting costly compliance with these sweeping bills
California should not be racing to replicate those failures. After all, when California leads—especially on tech—other states follow. There is no reason for California to lead the nation into an unconstitutional social media ban that destroys privacy and harms youth.
Why is this happening now?
A.B. 1709 has already passed out of the Assembly Privacy and Judiciary Committees with nearly unanimous support. Its next stop is the Assembly Appropriations Committee, followed by a floor vote—likely within the week.
What we can do to fight back
A.B. 1709 will go to a floor vote within the week. Call your representative now to OPPOSE this bill.
