Tech Industry Dodges California Social Media Addiction Bill

California’s Senate Bill 680, aimed at holding social media platforms accountable for addiction and harm to child users, met its demise for the second consecutive year on Friday, despite efforts from state Sen. Nancy Skinner (D) to push it through. 

The bill, which had gathered substantial opposition from the tech industry, would have empowered the attorney general and public attorneys to file civil suits against social media companies for intentionally incorporating addictive or harmful designs and algorithms. This could have resulted in penalties of up to $250,000 per violation along with litigation costs.