CA SB771: Personal rights: liability: social media platforms.

In one paragraph

Vetoed. California's SB 771 would have made social media platforms with more than $100 million in yearly gross revenue liable for civil penalties when they violate state civil rights laws (Civil Code §§ 51.7, 51.9, 52 and 52.1) through algorithms that relay content to users, or aid, abet, conspire in or are joint tortfeasors in such violations: up to $1,000,000 per intentional, knowing or willful violation and $500,000 per reckless one, up to double if the platform knew or should have known the plaintiff was a minor. Vetoed by Governor Newsom October 13, 2025; veto sustained March 2, 2026.

Plain-English summary, written with AI assistance. The official text controls.

What it means for business

None: the bill was vetoed and never became law. It would have exposed social media platforms with over $100 million in yearly revenue to penalties of up to $1 million per violation when their algorithms violate state civil rights laws.

Key provisions

1. 1Would have added Civil Code Title 23 (§§ 3273.72-3273.74), "Social Media Platforms Endangering Californians", covering social media platforms (as defined in Bus. & Prof. Code § 22675) with more than $100,000,000 a year in gross revenues
2. 2Liability for violating Civil Code § 51.7, 51.9, 52 or 52.1 through algorithms that relay content to users, or for aiding, abetting, acting in concert, conspiring or being a joint tortfeasor in a violation
3. 3Civil penalty to a prevailing plaintiff, in addition to other remedies: up to $1,000,000 per intentional, knowing or willful violation and up to $500,000 per reckless violation; a court could award up to twice those amounts if the platform knew or should have known the plaintiff was a minor
4. 4Deploying a content-relaying algorithm could be treated as the platform's own act, independent of the message relayed, and platforms would be deemed to have actual knowledge of how their algorithms deliver content to some users but not others
5. 5Would have become operative January 1, 2027; waivers would have been void
6. 6Passed both houses (Senate concurrence September 11, 2025); vetoed by the Governor October 13, 2025; stricken from file and veto sustained March 2, 2026

Latest legislative action

Mar 2, 2026. Veto sustained.

Sponsors (showing 5 of 64)

Roll call votes (showing 3 of 9)