The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has just given a huge boost to California’s plan to continue building one of the most expansive digital verification regimes in the country.
The appeals court refused to rehear NetChoice v. Bonta, leaving in place a ruling that allows California to advance a system critics warn could become a statewide online digital ID requirement.
The court’s decision keeps intact most of Senate Bill 976, the Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act.
The bill was signed by Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom in September 2024.
The law forces social media companies to implement “age assurance” systems to determine whether users are adults or minors.