Assemblymember Lowenthal Proposes a New “California Social Media Users Bill of Rights”
Groundbreaking Resolution Developed in Partnership with California Initiative for Technology and Democracy (CITED) Urges Protections for Children and Voters
SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal (D-Long Beach) unveiled today a “California Social Media Users Bill of Rights” that would declare the first set of fundamental rights and protections for users of social media platforms in the nation. The resolution is sponsored by the California Initiative for Technology and Democracy (CITED), a project of California Common Cause, designed to protect our democracy from digital threats.
“Congress may have given social media companies legal immunity from the damage caused by false and hateful content, but nothing absolves them of their civic responsibility to be careful stewards of the public square, especially when it comes to protecting our children and our democracy,” said Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal (D-Long Beach), who introduced Assembly Concurrent Resolution 219.
Added Jonathan Mehta Stein, executive director of California Common Cause: “Social media emerged in Silicon Valley based on the hope it would bring people together, fostering the free exchange of ideas in a more connected global community. Sadly, some platforms today have instead chosen to become tools for the global transmission of hate, harassment, bullying, and disinformation.’’