Calif. Senate Judiciary Advances Kids’ Privacy and Deepfake Bills

California’s Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday passed legislation that would set stricter limits on sharing children’s personal data. The committee unanimously approved the California Children’s Data Privacy Act (AB-1949). Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D) introduced the bill that would ban websites and platforms from collecting and sharing personal data of users younger than 18 without their informed consent. For users younger than 13, companies would need to obtain parental consent. AB-1949 would amend the California Consumer Privacy Act. The Computer & Communications Industry Association, TechNet and CalChamber voiced opposition to the bill Tuesday. Common Sense Media and California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) support the measure. Wicks noted that Bonta’s office investigated Meta and alleged the company knows children younger than 13 access its platforms and that their data is collected in violation of federal law. Bonta’s probe showed about 30% of residents between ages 10 and 12 access Meta platforms. On Tuesday, Bonta's office called AB-1949 a “simple, graceful” solution strengthening children’s privacy protections. In addition, the committee passed AB-2839, a deepfake-related measure that would prohibit people and companies from sharing election campaign content when it contains “materially deceptive and digitally altered or digitally created images or audio or video files” with the intent of influencing elections. Entertainment companies voiced opposition to the legislation Tuesday. Moreover, the Motion Picture Association said it wants sponsors to exempt streaming services from the bill. Warner Bros. Discovery, Sony and NBCUniversal said they are aligned with MPA in opposition. Assemblymember Gail Pellerin (D), the bill's author, said getting accurate information to state voters is “crucial to a functioning democracy.”