October 17, 2025
Statement from Brenda Victoria Castillo, President & CEO of the National Hispanic Media Coalition
The National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) applauds the California lawmakers who championed several bills that implement much-needed safeguards and protections for consumers and children from AI-driven exploitation. On Monday, October 13, 2025, Governor Gavin Newsom signed several of these groundbreaking bills into law.
The first of their kind in the nation, California’s new AI protections close major gaps that allow technology to harm people without accountability — from deepfake sexual abuse to predatory or collusive pricing algorithms. These measures give individuals clear rights and remedies against emerging digital harms impacting our loved ones every day.
NHMC is especially proud of the SB 243 — Companion Chatbots (Youth Safeguards). This bill requires companies to add safety tools if a minor is exhibiting signs of distress or self-harm and block sexually explicit content. SB 243 helps prevent inappropriate or unsafe interactions between minors and qualifying AI chatbots, while still allowing the use of AI chatbots for mental-health purposes.
These bills demand transparency from technology companies–something that is a top priority for NHMC. This enhanced level of transparency gives government, advocacy, and nonprofit organizations a clear window into how AI Models are trained and used, allowing for the opportunity to detect red flags before harm is done.
While these are victories for civil and human rights organizations, like NHMC, we know there is still much work to be done in safeguarding all children. Notably, Governor Newsom vetoed important bills, including AB 1064: Leading Ethical AI Development, which establishes strong standards to protect children online, extending beyond chatbots.
If we are truly set on being the gold standard of protection against harm induced by AI, California needs to say this is a bold start, but we can do more. Click here to learn more about all the AI bills signed this week.
Yours in the Movement,
Brenda Victoria Castillo
President & CEO
National Hispanic Media Coalition
