California just signed AB 1709 into law, which bans social media use for anyone under 16. The EFF and allied organizations say this is a bad move. Their core argument: the law cuts young people off from communities and information they actually need, especially vulnerable kids who find safety and support online that they can't get elsewhere. It also won't work—research shows social media bans are ineffectual at making kids safer or healthier. Instead of this blunt approach, they're pushing for actual privacy laws that target how companies make money from surveillance. The age-gating mechanism itself creates new problems. To verify who's old enough to use these platforms, companies will collect even more personal data than they already do. This concentrates power in corporate hands rather than protecting anyone. The law also conflicts with free speech rights and will likely tie up California's resources in court battles. Evan Greer from Fight for the Future points out the irony: the ban lets Big Tech keep their harmful business models intact while incentivizing them to collect more data. It's a headline grab, not actual protection. There's a specific equity angle here too. Jordan Wilson from COLAGE highlights how the law harms LGBTQ+ youth—kids with LGBTQ+ parents often rely on online communities to find others like them and access information they can't get locally. Forcing age verification across the board also erodes digital privacy for everyone in California, not just minors. The organizations are saying the state should instead build real privacy protections and laws that actually help young people use technology safely, rather than shutting them out entirely.