California lawmaker proposes a 4‑year ban on AI chatbot toys for children

A targeted restriction reflects rising concern about persuasive AI and youth data collection — and could set national precedent.

Policy Team

1/10/2026, 7:00:00 PM

4 min read

Policy documents on a desk

Policy is moving from general frameworks to category-specific restrictions.

Definitions and enforcement mechanisms will determine whether this approach scales beyond toys.

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