The technology industry has long insisted that its competitors are fundamentally different from one another, each occupying a unique position in the digital firmament. On Wednesday, three of the largest platforms discovered something they share after all: a legal complaint.

Google, Meta and TikTok filed separate lawsuits to block a California law that would prohibit social media companies from providing what the state has deemed "addictive" features — including algorithmically recommended content and automatically playing videos — to users younger than 16. The suits were filed in federal court, with Google and Meta choosing the Northern District of California and TikTok opting for the Central District.

All three companies argue that the law violates the First Amendment, which protects publishers' editorial discretion over content, and is preempted by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which shields web companies' decisions about displaying user-generated material. In essence, the platforms contend that California has decided their speech is simply too effective.

"The legislation is invalid in violation of the U.S. Constitution and federal law because it deems the resulting speech too compelling," Google wrote in its complaint. (One imagines the company's lawyers typed that sentence with a certain pride.)

Google argued in its filing that personalized recommendations on YouTube serve young users by delivering content that is "relevant to their interests" and "appropriate given their age and developmental needs." The company noted that its autoplay feature, which is disabled by default for users under 18, "works the way television always has."

"A student finishing one chemistry lecture moves on to the next," Google wrote, "just as a family watching broadcast television in their living room does not have to reach for the remote before another program plays."

The comparison to television, an industry that has spent decades defending itself against similar concerns, may or may not strengthen the argument.

Original story published in mediapost.com: "Google, Meta, TikTok Sue Over California Law Banning 'Addictive' Features 11/06/2026"