Common Sense Media Applauds Signing of Historic Bill Into Law to Reduce Online Child Sex Abuse and Trafficking in California

San Francisco, Oct. 9, 2023 — California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed into law AB 1394, a historic bill authored by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Berkeley) that holds social media companies liable for their role in online child sex abuse and trafficking in California. In response, Jim Steyer, Founder and CEO of Common Sense Media, issued the following statement:

"We applaud Gov. Newsom and Assemblywoman Wicks for taking this important stand on behalf of California's kids and families by getting AB 1394 passed and signed into law.

"This bill, which Common Sense co-sponsored, is the first bill in the country to allow parents of victims of online child sex abuse and trafficking activities to sue social media companies when the companies knowingly allow child sexual abuse, exploitation, and trafficking material to live on their sites. This new law also requires platforms, when notified, to block images or videos of child sex abuse, helping survivors to reduce fear of repeated victimization.

"Social media companies have allowed material related to child sexual abuse, exploitation, and trafficking to originate on their platforms. And they have profited from this material living on their sites, despite the horrific damage it causes to young people and their families. Their inadequate self-policing has contributed to the dramatic increase in online sexual exploitation of minors.

"With California kids spending more and more time on social media, this law could not be more urgently needed. 38% of tweens and 84% of teens use social media, and 25% of 9-17 year olds report having had a sexually explicit interaction online with someone they believed to be an adult. At the same time, traffickers have recruited 55% of sex trafficking victims online, usually through social media platforms.

"We have more work to do to hold social media platforms accountable for harms they cause to kids and teens and their families, but today's signing into of AB 1394 is a major step in the right direction."

In addition to Common Sense Media, other key supporters of AB 1394 include the Children's Advocacy Institute at UC San Diego Law School, American Association of University Women of California, #HalfTheStory, 3Strands, and Jewish Family and Children's Services.

About Common Sense

Common Sense is the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the 21st century. Learn more at commonsense.org.

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