NetChoice Sues Virginia Over Kids’ Social Media Time Limit
▼ Summary
– NetChoice is suing Virginia over a new law that restricts minors’ social media use to one hour per day, claiming it violates First Amendment rights.
– The law, signed by Governor Glenn Youngkin and effective January 1, 2026, requires platforms to limit users under 16 unless they have parental permission.
– NetChoice argues the law could force platforms to use strict age verification methods like government IDs, posing privacy and security risks.
– A recent Discord data breach exposed 70,000 users’ government IDs, highlighting the dangers of such data collection for age verification.
– The lawsuit contends that the law burdens minors’ access to online speech and improperly takes parenting decisions away from families.
A major tech industry trade group, NetChoice, has initiated a lawsuit against the state of Virginia, challenging a newly enacted law that would limit social media usage for minors to one hour per day. The complaint, submitted to the court on Monday, seeks an injunction to prevent the law from taking effect, arguing it imposes unconstitutional restrictions on online free speech for all Virginians. This legal action sets the stage for a significant confrontation over digital rights and child safety regulations.
Governor Glenn Youngkin signed the legislation, known as SB 854, in May, with an effective date of January 1, 2026. Under its provisions, social media companies must implement systems that block users under the age of sixteen from accessing their platforms for more than sixty minutes daily, unless explicit parental consent is provided. The law aims to address growing concerns about the impact of prolonged social media exposure on young people’s mental health and development.
NetChoice contends that the statute not only infringes upon the First Amendment by restricting access to lawful online content but also mandates age verification procedures that could compromise user privacy and security. While the legislation specifies “commercially reasonable methods” for age checks, such as prompting for a birth date, the plaintiffs point to a statement from Governor Youngkin suggesting platforms “must verify age,” which they interpret as potentially requiring submission of sensitive documents like government-issued identification.
Recent incidents highlight the dangers of collecting such personal data. Discord, a member of NetChoice, recently disclosed a security breach affecting approximately 70,000 users, where government IDs submitted for age verification appeals were exposed. This event underscores the vulnerability of centralized data repositories to hacking and unauthorized access.
Supported by prominent technology firms including Meta, Google, Amazon, Reddit, and Discord, NetChoice asserts that the Virginia law improperly burdens minors’ rights to engage with online expression. Paul Taske, codirector of the NetChoice Litigation Center, emphasized that the government cannot lawfully dictate how long individuals spend accessing protected speech, drawing parallels to restrictions on reading books or watching television. He stressed that parenting decisions should remain with families, warning that state intervention not only violates constitutional freedoms but also heightens risks of privacy and security breaches for citizens.
(Source: The Verge)
