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Committee advances bill to make it easier to delete social media accounts and data
Summary
AB 656, presented by Assemblymember Schiavo, would require social media platforms to provide a clear, accessible delete-account option and to delete personal information when requested. Committee amendments narrow the user interface requirement and align deletion of personal information with CCPA timelines.
Assemblymember Schiavo presented Assembly Bill 656, a measure that would make it simpler for users to delete social media accounts and require platforms to delete associated personal information when requested.
Why it matters: Supporters characterized the bill as consumer-protection legislation that breaks ‘‘dark patterns’’ companies use to keep users on platforms and to make deletion difficult. The committee adopted amendments that narrowed the user-interface requirement so platforms must provide a clear delete option (for example, a prominently placed button in settings) rather than persistent messages on every screen.
The author described evidence that social media use takes a toll on youth…
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