Meta Seeks Exemptions for Social Media in Child Safety Laws
WHO:
Mashable - Meta is the organization involved in seeking exemptions.
Techmeme - California lawmakers are the officials being lobbied by Meta.
WHAT:
ABC News - A pair of landmark jury verdicts this year showed a way forward for holding tech companies accountable, including two verdicts against Meta and one against Google.
ABC News - The Los Angeles trial accusing social media platforms of causing deliberate harm to children was allowed to move forward, marking a watershed moment according to Matthew Bergman, head of the Social Media Victims Law Center.
ABC News - The Senate has passed a resolution annually since 2024 to recognize June 23 as Social Media Harms Victim Remembrance Day.
Mashable - New state legislation could lead to millions in fines for social media companies.
Techmeme - Meta lobbyists are urging for exemptions from legislation that would increase penalties in child-harm cases.
Techmeme - Meta is facing hundreds of lawsuits accusing the company of failing to protect kids' safety on its platforms.
WHERE:
Techmeme - The lobbying efforts are directed at California lawmakers.
WHY:
ABC News - Sen. Marsha Blackburn stated that without a "duty of care," Big Tech companies will maintain the status quo of prioritizing profit over children's safety.
Techmeme - Meta's plea for exemptions is motivated by the potential financial impact of the new legislation and the ongoing lawsuits regarding child safety.
HOW:
ABC News - The Senate Judiciary Committee has invited the CEOs of Meta, Alphabet, TikTok, and Snap to testify at an upcoming hearing about children's safety on their platforms.
Techmeme - Meta is utilizing lobbyists to advocate for the exclusion of social media platforms from the proposed child safety regulations.
(UPDATED June 28, 2026 06:21 UTC)
In a significant development for accountability in the tech industry, jury verdicts this year have held Meta responsible in two cases and Google in one, paving the way for future legal actions. A trial in Los Angeles that accuses social media platforms of deliberately harming children is moving forward, which Matthew Bergman, head of the Social Media Victims Law Center, describes as a watershed moment. Additionally, the Senate has been recognizing June 23 as Social Media Harms Victim Remembrance Day since 2024, and the Senate Judiciary Committee is set to invite the CEOs of Meta, Alphabet, TikTok, and Snap to testify about children's safety on their platforms.
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(UPDATED June 27, 2026 19:19 UTC)
Meta is actively lobbying California lawmakers for exemptions from new state legislation that could impose millions in fines on social media companies for child-harm cases. This push comes as Meta faces hundreds of lawsuits alleging the company has failed to protect children's safety on its platforms. The financial implications of these potential penalties and ongoing legal challenges are driving Meta's efforts to seek relief through its lobbyists.