A new law in California, effective January 1, 2015, requires online websites and mobile app companies to permit a minor to remove content posted by a minor.  The new law, Bus & P C §§22580–22582, allows minors who are registered users of the website or app to either remove the content themselves or to request the removal by the app or website operator.

The aim of the new law is to allow ill-advised posts by minors to be deleted.  Who among us has not hit “send” a little too quickly on an email?  For teens, that danger may be even greater, as they live in the digital world and sometimes don’t display great decision making.  This law will allow them to erase those posts UNLESS the content was posted originally by a third person, was reposted by a third person, the content (even if posted by the registered minor) was anonymized by the site or app, or where the minor received compensation in exchange for making the post.

This is a step in the right direction to save minors from their temporary lapses in judgment when posting online content.  Time will only tell whether the rest of the nation will follow California.