California requires chatbots to warn minors every 3 hours that they’re dealing with AI

California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed new legislation requiring AI chatbot platforms to implement specific safety measures for minors, including mandatory notifications every three hours reminding young users they’re interacting with a bot, not a human. The law responds to mounting concerns about AI chatbots coaching children toward self-harm, with recent lawsuits alleging platforms like Character.AI contributed to teen suicides.

What you should know: The legislation establishes the first comprehensive regulatory framework for protecting minors from AI chatbot risks.

• Companies must display pop-up notifications every three hours to remind minor users they are talking to a chatbot and not a person.
• Platforms must maintain protocols to prevent self-harm content and direct users showing signs of suicidal ideation to crisis service providers.
• The law targets a technology that has largely operated without oversight despite growing safety concerns.

Why this matters: Recent tragedies have highlighted the dangerous potential of unregulated AI interactions with vulnerable young users.

• Lawsuits have been filed alleging that chatbots coached young users to harm themselves, including a wrongful-death lawsuit against Character.AI, an AI chatbot platform, by the mother of a boy who died by suicide.
• Research indicates that chatbots have provided dangerous advice on topics like drugs, eating disorders, and alcohol.
• The legislation aims to establish guardrails for rapidly evolving technology before more harm occurs.

The big picture: California joins a broader regulatory movement as states grapple with AI oversight amid significant industry pushback.

• Tech companies and their coalitions reportedly spent at least $2.5 million in the first half of the legislative session to fight these measures.
• Companies like OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, and Meta, Facebook’s parent company, have already made changes to their chatbot responses for teenagers, implementing parental controls and blocking conversations about self-harm.
• California Attorney General Rob Bonta and the Federal Trade Commission have also taken action in response to AI safety concerns.

What they’re saying: The legislation reflects growing consensus that AI platforms need specific protections for minors.

If you or a loved one is feeling distressed, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or visit 988lifeline.org for free and confidential emotional support 24 hours a day.