Maybe Gavin Newsom could try helping the quality of life of his constituents rather than just punish them in a moral panic.

The package of new legislation is not without critics. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EEF), a non-profit focused on digital privacy and free speech, argues that AB 1709 is a “functional ban on social media use” for users under 16.

“California should be passing laws to ensure that technology really works for people of all ages, not enacting social media bans that cut young people off from digital lifelines, communities and speech,” Rindala Alajaji, the EFF associate director of state affairs, said in a statement.

“Denying minors access to digital forums – or stripping out basic tools needed to navigate them – is not going to help make young people safer or healthier in the AI age.”