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THEY SUED TO KEEP THE HOOK

By Zimbo · November 5, 2026

AI cartoon by Zimbo: Satirical cartoon: three suited tech executives — Google, Meta and TikTok — stand at a defense table under a California flag, presenting a giant glowing phone whose "For You" feed dangles a golden fishing hook; a "FREE SPEECH" book and a "PLATFORM DEFENSE" nameplate sit on the table.
Google, Meta and TikTok sued California to block AB 1709, the law banning "psychologically exploitative features" for under-16s — personal recommendations and autoplay feeds. Their defense: the First Amendment.Zimbo for AI News Page

The story behind the cartoon

Google, Meta Platforms and TikTok sued California in three separate federal lawsuits on Wednesday to block enforcement of AB 1709, a new state law aimed at limiting the risk of addicting children under 16 to online platforms, Reuters reported.

The law, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom on September 10, bars platforms from offering under-16s "psychologically exploitative features" that can lead to compulsive use — such as personal recommendations and autoplay video — and requires the deletion of children's accounts that carry those features.

The companies argue the law wrongly compels them to present content to children the state's way, substitutes the state's judgment for parents', and violates the First Amendment and Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. The office of California Attorney General Rob Bonta, the only defendant, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The joke is the courtroom: three suited giants defend a giant glowing phone whose "For You" feed dangles a golden fishing hook — the FREE SPEECH book on the table is their whole defense, and the hook is the product they are in court to protect.

READ THE FULL REPORT — Reuters ↗

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