What Actually Happened?
California enacted SB 1119, the "Adam's Law" amendment to its companion chatbot law, in early October 2026. Orrick published an analysis on October 8 describing it as signed into law, and Fenwick published a summary on October 9.
According to the Fenwick summary, it:
- requires mandatory age assurance and a pre-launch child safety risk assessment
- requires crisis-response protocols, including parental notification and helpline routing, for chatbot statements that promote suicidal ideation or self-harm
- adds default safety settings and a list of prohibited chatbot behaviours
- restricts behavioural advertising and profiling-based targeting of children
- requires biennial independent child safety audits, reported to the Attorney General
- requires conversations to be preserved for three years after serious self-harm incidents
- creates a private right of action for children who suffer actual harm from violations
- removes the earlier law's trigger tied to an operator having actual knowledge that a user is a minor
It builds on SB 243, signed October 13, 2025 and in effect since January 1, 2026, which requires companion chatbots to disclose they are not human, maintain suicide and self-harm protocols, and add safeguards for users known to be minors.
What Do We Still Not Know?
The effective date. The Fenwick summary gives January 1, 2027. A separate state-by-state tracker lists July 1, 2027. We could not confirm which is correct, so check the bill text.
How it applies to adult-only platforms. The duties attach to operators that permit child users. How age assurance will work in practice for adult NSFW platforms has not been set out in the coverage we found.
Which platforms will change what. We found no announcement from any platform on our roster.
Why Does This Matter Beyond California?
Because it is part of a wave. New York's AI companion law took effect on November 5, 2025, and California's SB 243 followed on January 1, 2026. A tracker we checked also lists 2026 enactments in states including Connecticut, Tennessee and Rhode Island, with Oregon and Washington following in January 2027. Our AI companion laws tracker follows the wider picture, and China's companion AI fines show a similar direction abroad.
What Does This Mean If You Use These Apps?
1. Expect stronger age checks. Age assurance means more prompts, and possibly ID or estimation steps, on platforms serving California. 2. Expect some data to be kept. The preservation rule for serious self-harm incidents means certain conversations may be retained longer, so keep sensitive details out of chats. See do AI girlfriend apps sell your data. 3. Expect more safety messaging, such as break reminders and crisis information. 4. Do not assume anonymity. Privacy posture varies a lot across platforms. See is an AI girlfriend safe in 2026. 5. Watch your platform's notices for changes to terms or availability in California.
Which Platforms Look Better Placed?
No platform has said how it will respond, so this is about existing features, not predictions.
Clonella offers end-to-end encryption and a written policy against training on user chats. Selira AI needs no credit card, so there is no payment record. Darlink AI is operated from Switzerland, covered in Is Darlink AI safe?. AI Angels publishes its corporate registration. Nomi AI is SFW at every tier.
Also Worth Exploring
FAQs
What is California's Adam's Law?
It is SB 1119, enacted in early October 2026, which adds child-safety duties for companion chatbot operators, including mandatory age assurance, pre-launch risk assessments and a private right of action for children who suffer actual harm.
When does Adam's Law take effect?
Sources disagree. A Fenwick summary gives January 1, 2027, while a legal tracker lists July 1, 2027. Check the bill text.
Does Adam's Law ban AI companions?
No. It adds safety and age-assurance duties for operators. Adult companion apps are not banned.
Does SB 243 already apply?
Yes. SB 243 has been in effect since January 1, 2026 and requires companion chatbots to disclose they are not human, run suicide and self-harm protocols and add safeguards for known minors.
Will AI girlfriend apps ask for ID?
Possibly more age verification on platforms serving California, though no platform on our roster has announced changes that we have found. If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available. In the US you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
Sources
- Orrick, "Examining California's New AI Chatbot Bill SB 1119," October 8, 2026.
- Fenwick, "California Enacts Comprehensive Child Safety Laws Targeting AI Chatbots, Social Media, and Age Verification," October 9, 2026.
- Fenwick, "The Chatbot Compliance Wave," current as of October 7, 2026.
- AI Laws by State, companion chatbot tracker, for the July 1, 2027 date and other states.
- AI Compliance Atlas, California SB 243, last verified October 12, 2026.
We did not read the bill text directly, so confirm details and the effective date there. This is information, not legal advice. This page contains affiliate links and we earn commission at no cost to you.
