AB 2426 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Online platforms: educational children's content.

Summary

Existing law establishes the Department of Consumer Affairs to, among other things, protect consumer interests and regulate specified businesses. Existing law requires a business that provides an online service, product, or feature likely to be accessed by children to comply with specified requirements, including configuring all default privacy settings provided to children to settings that offer a high level of privacy. Existing law prohibits an operator of an internet website, online service, online application, or mobile application directed to minors from marketing or advertising specified products or services to a minor. This bill would enact the California Children's Digital Educational Content Act of 2026, which would require a covered platform, as defined, to establish and maintain a walled garden. The bill would define a walled garden as a clearly designated and easily accessible section of a platform that is dedicated exclusively to educational children's content, as defined. The bill would require a walled garden to meet certain requirements, including that it be free from targeted advertising and be accessible to minors without an account. The bill would authorize the department to adopt regulations to implement these provisions. The bill would require a covered platform to annually submit a compliance report to the department and would authorize the department to conduct audits. The bill would impose specified administrative penalties for violation of its provisions.

Issues: ✓ Education ✓ Technology

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 20, 2026 Last action Apr 9, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

02/20/26 - Introduced → 03/19/26 - Amended Assembly · 6 edits · Mar 19, 2026

MODERATE

The amendment transforms AB 2426 from a minor technical fix to the Consumers Legal Remedies Act into a major new regulatory law - the California Children's Digital Educational Content Act of 2026. It adds an entirely new chapter to the Business and Professions Code requiring large digital platforms (those with over $100 million in annual gross revenues) to create dedicated 'walled garden' sections for educational children's content, free from targeted advertising and accessible without account creation. The bill also retains the original nonsubstantive correction to Civil Code Section 1770.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded dramatically from a single technical correction to the Consumers Legal Remedies Act to an entirely new regulatory regime governing large digital platforms' obligations regarding children's educational content, with enforcement powers vested in the Department of Consumer Affairs.

SCOPE

Adds a new chapter (22.2.10) to Division 8 of the Business and Professions Code, creating the California Children's Digital Educational Content Act of 2026, which applies to 'covered platforms' - advertising-supported, non-subscription digital content or social media services with annual gross revenues exceeding $100 million that distribute video content to users in California.

REQUIREMENT

Requires covered platforms to establish and maintain a 'walled garden' - a clearly designated section dedicated exclusively to educational children's content (original video programming for ages 2-16 that is socially, civically, or core-curriculum educational and complies with FCC standards). The walled garden must contain at least 4 hours of content at all times, be free from targeted advertising, provide age-appropriate navigation and safety features, display content consistent with FCC guidelines, and be accessible to minors without requiring account creation.

ENFORCEMENT

Requires covered platforms to submit annual compliance reports to the Department of Consumer Affairs by April 1, 2027, and annually thereafter. Authorizes DCA to conduct audits to verify compliance. Imposes administrative penalties up to $50,000 per day for each day a violation continues.

DEFINITION

Defines key terms: 'covered platform' (revenue threshold of $100 million), 'educational children's content' (video for ages 2-16, educational in nature, FCC-compliant), 'minor' (under 18), 'platform' (advertising-supported, non-subscription digital content or social media service distributing video to California users), and 'walled garden' (dedicated section for educational children's content).

FISCAL

Fiscal committee review changed from 'no' to 'yes,' indicating the new regulatory and enforcement provisions now require fiscal analysis due to potential state costs of DCA oversight, audits, and regulation adoption.

TECHNICAL

The original nonsubstantive correction to Civil Code Section 1770(a)(24)(A) (changing 'any a prospective applicant' to 'a prospective applicant') is retained in the amended version.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 9, 2026

Lower · Passed

In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.

lower

Mar 23, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on P. & C.P.

lower

Mar 19, 2026

Introduced

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on P. & C.P. Read second time and amended.

lower

Mar 19, 2026

Committee

Referred to Coms. on P. & C.P. and B. & P.

lower

Feb 21, 2026

Lower · Passed

From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors