California bill would ban advertising chatbots as therapy
Senate Bill 903 targets AI tools used for mental health support without professional oversight
AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made
California bill would ban advertising chatbots as therapy
Photograph: Lookout Local Santa Cruz (embedded from source)
What this story says
- Senate Bill 903, authored by California Democrat Steve Padilla, would prohibit companies from advertising chatbots as therapy.
- The bill requires licensed professional oversight for AI tools making therapeutic decisions or recording therapy sessions.
- Supporters argue the legislation protects consumers and clinicians, while tech industry groups warn it could stifle innovation.
- No right-rated outlet covered the story, despite its implications for AI regulation and mental healthcare access.
Who covered it
Percentages are shares of the 16 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 6 of the 22 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .
Trust
42/100
Craft
79/100
Hype
15/100
22 sources · methodology
Thin on the right so far
None of the 16 outlets with a published leaning rating that ran this story are rated right.
This story is still being watched, so it is a count and not yet a finding. Coverage keeps arriving for hours after an event, and a side that has published nothing this morning may publish by tonight. If it is still true when we stop checking, we will say so plainly.
A California bill would ban companies from advertising chatbots as therapy and restrict their use in mental healthcare without professional oversight. Senate Bill 903, authored by Sen. Steve Padilla, a Democrat from San Diego, aims to regulate AI tools that provide mental health support or advice. The legislation would prohibit AI from making therapeutic decisions without review by a licensed professional and require health providers to disclose and obtain consent before using AI to record therapy sessions or triage mental healthcare.
The bill follows concerns over the rapid adoption of chatbots for mental health support, particularly among young people. A chatbot called "Psychologist," which describes itself as an expert in empathy and active listening, has become a widely cited example of the technology’s reach. OpenAI reported last year that about 1.2 million users a week share thoughts of suicide on its platform, prompting the company to direct them to professional help.
Supporters of the bill, including professional associations for psychologists and therapists, argue it is necessary to protect consumers from inaccurate or harmful advice. The National Union of Healthcare Workers, which backs the legislation, recently filed a complaint against Kaiser Permanente for allegedly using an automated algorithm in mental health triaging. Opponents, such as TechNet, a tech industry group, claim the bill could limit beneficial uses of AI and restrict access to mental healthcare tools.
What the coverage left out
No right-rated outlet ran the story at all. None of the digests or reports mentioned the specific penalties or enforcement mechanisms that would be introduced by Senate Bill 903. The full reports from the Associated Press and Washington Top News did not include a response from Kaiser Permanente regarding the complaint filed by the National Union of Healthcare Workers.
Still developing. We have re-checked which outlets are covering this 18 times, most recently on 7 Aug 2026, 18:30, and will add the sides that appear.
How each side covered it
Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.
Left
6 rated outlets
- The six left-rated digests and two full reports led on the consumer protection aspects of Senate Bill 903. The Associated Press and CalMatters, whose full reports were published, detailed the risks of unregulated chatbots, including their potential to provide inaccurate advice or mishandle crisis situations. Both quoted Le Ondra Clark Harvey, CEO of the California Behavioral Health Association, who said, "The difference between a licensed clinician and an automated response is not technical. It can be life altering."
- The left-rated digests highlighted the bill’s intent to protect vulnerable users, particularly young people. The Toronto Star, The Hamilton Spectator and The Seattle Times all included the statistic that one in eight teens and young adults use chatbots for mental health advice. The digests also noted the wrongful death lawsuits against AI chatbot makers, which the Associated Press reported are playing out in California federal courts.
Centre
10 rated outlets
- The ten centre-rated digests focused on the balance between regulation and innovation. KPBS and My Mother Lode led with the bill’s provisions, including the ban on advertising chatbots as therapy and the requirement for professional oversight. The Washington Top News full report, which was republished by several centre-rated outlets, quoted Robert Boykin of TechNet, who argued the bill could create a "clinician bottleneck" that limits access to mental healthcare tools.
- The centre-rated digests also emphasised the broader context of AI’s role in mental healthcare. Lookout Local Santa Cruz and Palo Alto Online included details about the popularity of chatbots for companionship and therapy, noting that research shows these are the top uses of AI tools. The digests framed the debate as one between consumer protections and the potential for AI to expand access to care, particularly in areas with shortages of behavioural healthcare workers.
Right
0 rated outlets
No outlet rated right has run this story so far. We are still checking, and will say plainly if that does not change.
Read it at the source
22 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.
Left
6- As AI ‘therapists’ dish out advice, California lawmakers try to set some limits (opens The Seattle Times in a new tab)
The Seattle Times — is The Seattle Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- As AI ‘therapists’ dish out advice, California lawmakers try to set some limits (opens The Toronto Star in a new tab)
The Toronto Star — is The Toronto Star biased? Our profile of this outlet
- As AI ‘therapists’ dish out advice, California lawmakers try to set some limits (opens Associated Press News in a new tab)
Associated Press News — is Associated Press News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- As AI ‘therapists’ dish out advice, California lawmakers try to set some limits (opens St Catharines Standard in a new tab)
St Catharines Standard — is St Catharines Standard biased? Our profile of this outlet
- As AI ‘therapists’ dish out advice, California lawmakers try to set some limits (opens The Hamilton Spectator in a new tab)
The Hamilton Spectator — is The Hamilton Spectator biased? Our profile of this outlet
- As AI 'therapists' dish out advice, California lawmakers try to set some limits (opens Cal Matters in a new tab)
Cal Matters — is Cal Matters biased? Our profile of this outlet
Centre
10- As AI ‘therapists’ dish out advice, California lawmakers try to set some limits (opens My Mother Lode in a new tab)
My Mother Lode — is My Mother Lode biased? Our profile of this outlet
- As AI ‘therapists’ dish out advice, California lawmakers try to set some limits (opens Lompoc Record in a new tab)
Lompoc Record
- As AI ‘therapists’ dish out advice, California lawmakers try to set some limits (opens Washington Top News in a new tab)
Washington Top News — is Washington Top News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- As AI 'therapists' dish out advice, California lawmakers try to set some limits (opens Newsday in a new tab)
- As AI ‘therapists’ dish out advice, California lawmakers try to set some limits (opens Henry Herald in a new tab)
Henry Herald — is Henry Herald biased? Our profile of this outlet
- As AI ‘therapists’ dish out advice, California lawmakers try to set some limits (opens Lookout Local Santa Cruz in a new tab)
Lookout Local Santa Cruz
- As AI ‘therapists’ dish out advice, California lawmakers try to set some limits (opens KPBS in a new tab)
- As AI ‘therapists’ dish out advice, California lawmakers try to set some limits (opens Winnipeg Free Press in a new tab)
Winnipeg Free Press — is Winnipeg Free Press biased? Our profile of this outlet
Right
0No outlet in this group ran the story.
Not rated
6- So the "Observer" AI Chatbot Checks Your Work Certificate (opens Blick in a new tab)
- AI “Therapists” Draw State Scrutiny as Mental Health Chatbot Use Surges (opens LexBlog in a new tab)
LexBlog
- As AI ‘therapists’ dish out advice, California lawmakers try to set some limits (opens The Almanac in a new tab)
The Almanac — is The Almanac biased? Our profile of this outlet
- As AI ‘therapists’ dish out advice, California lawmakers try to set some limits (opens pleasantonweekly.com in a new tab)
pleasantonweekly.com
- As AI ‘therapists’ dish out advice, California lawmakers try to set some limits (opens Redwood City Pulse in a new tab)
Redwood City Pulse
- As AI ‘therapists’ dish out advice, California lawmakers try to set some limits (opens Mountain View Voice in a new tab)
Mountain View Voice
How did this read?
About the coverage, not about the story. We do not ask whether you agree with what happened — we have no honest use for that answer.
