Virginia to Enforce New Social Media Limits for Minors

Attorney General vows to hold tech companies accountable for violating state's consumer protection law.

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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Virginia will begin enforcing new provisions of the state's Consumer Data Protection Act that require social media platforms to limit minors' use of their services to one hour per day per site, unless parents provide consent to increase or decrease the time limit. The law was passed in 2023 and updated in 2025, but enforcement was previously halted due to a lawsuit filed by NetChoice, a trade association representing major tech companies. Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones announced he will now enforce the law, saying it is necessary to protect children's safety and give parents control over their kids' social media consumption.

Why it matters

This case highlights the ongoing tension between state governments seeking to regulate the tech industry and the industry's claims that such laws violate free speech rights. Virginia's law is part of a broader trend of states passing legislation to limit minors' social media use, though enforcement has faced legal challenges. The outcome could set an important precedent for how far states can go in regulating the operations of major online platforms.

The details

The Consumer Data Protection Act requires social media platforms to use 'commercially reasonable methods' to determine if a user is under 16 years old, and if so, limit that minor's use of the platform to one hour per day. Parents can provide consent to increase or decrease the time limit. The law was updated in 2025 but enforcement was previously blocked by a lawsuit filed by NetChoice, a trade group representing companies like Amazon, Google, Meta, and Twitter. Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones has now announced the state will begin enforcing the law, and will take legal action against any platforms that violate it, with potential penalties of up to $7,500 per violation.

  • The Consumer Data Protection Act was passed in 2023.
  • The law was updated with the new social media limits for minors in 2025.
  • Enforcement of the law was initially blocked by a lawsuit filed in November 2025.
  • Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones announced the state will begin enforcing the law on February 16, 2026.

The players

Jay Jones

The current Attorney General of Virginia who announced the state will enforce the new social media limits for minors.

NetChoice

A nonprofit trade association representing major tech companies like Amazon, Google, Meta, and Twitter, which filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Virginia's social media limits for minors.

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What they’re saying

“As a father, there is nothing more important to me than the emotional, mental, and physical safety of our children. Today's announcement ensures that parents and caregivers have the final say in how much social media content their children consume, not the unscrupulous tech companies.”

— Jay Jones, Virginia Attorney General (valawyersweekly.com)

What’s next

The court will rule on NetChoice's pending motion for a preliminary injunction to block enforcement of the new social media limits for minors in Virginia.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing debate over how to balance protecting minors' wellbeing with preserving free speech rights online. Virginia's enforcement of the new social media limits for minors will likely face continued legal challenges, setting an important precedent for how far states can go in regulating major tech platforms.