RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones is pledging to use his office to enforce the Commonwealth's new social media restrictions on children under the age of 16.
For parents like Rebecca Hollis, a mother of 3 children all under the age of 16, the issue hits close to home.
"As far as social media goes, I think it's a good idea to limit it," Hollis said.
While it's tough to monitor everything her kids do online, Hollis said, she wants to shield them as long as possible.
"We create restrictions around how late, how close to bed time, and ideally how many hours a day they're allowed to be on a screen," Hollis said.
Jones recently announced that his office will require social media platforms to limit minors' usage to only one hour a day, unless a parent or guardian chooses to increase the limit.
A law that went into effect Jan. 1 now requires social media companies to determine whether a user is younger than 16, though parents still have the ability to raise or lower that limit, keeping control of what works best for their child.
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Virginia law limits social media use for kids under 16 to one hour daily
Jones plans to go after social media platforms that are not in compliance with the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act, which limits minors' usage.
According to Jones, his office will communicate non-compliance notices to companies and offer a 30-day window to comply. If companies don't follow orders, they face a civil penalty of up to $7,500 per violation.
Hollis believes the regulations are a step in the right direction.
"I think that for the social media companies to have regulations and laws in place that require them to create some form of boundary or restriction, I think that helps families. At the end of the day, it protects children," Hollis said.
In a statement, Jones said in part: "By enforcing our consumer protection laws, Virginia can and will take meaningful steps to protect our children and hold bad actors accountable."
The law has faced legal challenges. NetChoice, a technology trade association, filed a federal lawsuit seeking to block Virginia's social media law, alleging it violates First Amendment rights to speech.
Former Attorney General Jason Miyares, and now Jones, defended the law, which was passed in the General Assembly last year and signed by former Governor Glenn Youngkin.
Supporters like Hollis believe excessive social media use can be dangerous for kids, leading to anxiety and depression.
The AG Consumer Protection Section is encouraging people to report any violations by filing a complaint or calling the Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-800-552-9963.
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