How some companies are enforcing Virginia’s new social media use limit | wusa9.com

It appears how social media companies are restricting a one-hour daily use for children under 16 years old vary. ARLINGTON, Va. — A new Virginia law requiring social media companies to limit use for minors took effect this week, but early encounters show that enforcement is operating differently across the Commonwealth’s most popular apps. The law, signed by Governor Glenn Youngkin last year, mandates that platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat set a default one-hour daily time limit for users under 16. It appears some platforms have either integrated strict or looser verification blocks. “I personally try to stay on top of my son’s phone use, and I’m glad the government, in this case, is helping,” said Nikki Wang, a Vienna mother whose 14-year-old son, Seth, uses YouTube and Snapchat. For Seth, the new reality of Virginia’s social media landscape was immediate. Upon reaching his 60-minute limit, he was met with a hard stop on Snapchat.  “It said due to a new Virginia law, you need to confirm you’re over 16 to unlock the one hour,” Seth said. “You have to seek a parent, and you have to scan someone’s ID.” Meanwhile, a test of Meta’s Instagram revealed a less
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