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Home/Regulation Tracker/California SB 243 — Companion chatbots

California SB 243 — Companion chatbots

The first law on AI companions: operators must disclose the AI nature of the chatbot, run suicide-prevention protocols, add safeguards for minors and report crisis referrals, backed by a private right of action. Effective 1 January 2026.

californiacompanion chatbotsminorssuicide prevention

Required actions

  • Disclose clearly that the user is interacting with AI where a reasonable person could be misled - Maintain a protocol to prevent suicidal ideation and self-harm content and refer users to crisis services; publish the protocol - For known minors: remind them every three hours that the chatbot is AI, and prevent sexually explicit content - Report annually on crisis referrals to the Office of Suicide Prevention

Sources

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