Why was the Virginia law limiting children's social media use blocked?

A federal judge blocked the law because it was argued to infringe on First Amendment rights, specifically protected speech, and create potential cybersecurity risks for minors' data.

What did Virginia's SB 854 law aim to do regarding social media and minors?

SB 854, effective January 1, 2026, aimed to limit minors under 16 to one hour of social media per day per service and required parental consent for increased usage.

Which tech groups challenged the Virginia law on social media for minors?

The tech lobbying group NetChoice, whose members include Meta, Google, X, Reddit, and Netflix, challenged the law.

Home / Technology / Judge Blocks Virginia Law Limiting Kids' Social Media

Judge Blocks Virginia Law Limiting Kids' Social Media

28 Feb

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Summary

A federal judge halted a Virginia law restricting minors' social media use.
The law limited daily social media access for those under 16 to one hour.
Tech groups argued the law infringed on First Amendment protected speech.

Judge Blocks Virginia Law Limiting Kids' Social Media

A federal judge in Northern Virginia has placed a preliminary injunction on SB 854, a new state law designed to limit social media usage for minors. This law, which took effect on January 1, 2026, aimed to restrict children under 16 to one hour of social media per day, per platform. It also mandated that platforms use reasonable methods to verify user age and obtain parental consent for increased usage.

The injunction was granted following a petition from NetChoice, a technology lobbying group representing major platforms like Meta and Google. NetChoice contended that the law infringed upon protected speech under the First Amendment. They also raised concerns about the cybersecurity implications of age verification methods, potentially exposing minors' data to cyber threats.