Governor Newsom signs sb 1119 establishing child safety rules for chatbots

What happened

- The bill was signed on 10 September 2026 and amends California’s existing companion chatbot statute. - It creates a new set of requirements, dubbed “Adam’s Law,” focused on protecting children using companion chatbots. - Requirements include age verification, parental consent, content safeguards, and ongoing safety audits. - The law applies to all providers of consumer‑facing companion chatbot services operating in California.

Why it matters

Chatbot providers must redesign products to verify user age, obtain parental consent where required, and implement safety controls to avoid non‑compliance penalties. Similar firms should audit their child‑safety features now.

Business impact

Non‑compliant providers risk enforcement actions by the California Attorney General and may face injunctions or civil penalties, while compliant firms can market their services as child‑safe.

What to check

1. 1

   Implement age verificationHigh priority

   Deploy reliable mechanisms to confirm users are over the required age before granting full chatbot access.

2. 2

   Add parental consent workflowHigh priority

   Require verifiable parental consent for users identified as children under the new thresholds.

3. 3

   Conduct safety auditsMedium priority

   Perform regular reviews of chatbot content and interactions to ensure they meet the safety standards set by Adam’s Law.