The Act closes a loophole that has allowed harmful deepfakes to flourish. It now moves to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk for signature.

The testimony of Megan Garcia, pictured, was instrumental in the passage of SB 243, a bill addressing kids and AI chatbots. Garcia’s 14-year-old son Sewell Setzer ended his own life with the encouragement of an AI companion chatbot in 2024.

A report in the Washington Post adds to the growing body of evidence showing that Meta, owner of Facebook and Instagram, has suppressed or ignored evidence of the harm its products cause.