California Judge Blocks Landmark Law Safeguarding Children's Online Safety

A federal judge has temporarily blocked a California law aimed at increasing online safety for children, stating that it likely violates the Constitution. The law, known as the California Age-Appropriate Design Code, would require digital platforms to vet their products for potential harm to kids and implement stronger data privacy protections for younger users. Tech trade group NetChoice, representing companies like Amazon and Google, sued to block the law, arguing that it infringes on their right to make editorial decisions. This ruling deals a blow to state lawmakers and children's safety advocates who supported the measure, which was considered one of the strongest children's online safety laws in the US.