Virginia bill restricts teen social media usage to 1 hour per day, requiring parental consent to adjust time limit

The ill effects of social media on impressionable teenage minds are already well known. Whether it’s screen addiction from doomscrolling all day, developing body image issues, or facing serious anxiety and depression caused by cyberbullying and constant social comparison, the negative impact of social media is alarming. This has led many to advocate for limiting social media usage to safeguard teenagers' mental health. 

Taking a step in that direction, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has signed a bill aimed at restricting how much time children can spend on these platforms.

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What is the new bill?

As per the Fox 5 report, the bill is an amendment to the Consumer Data Protection Act that limits minors under 16 to only one hour of social media usage per day on each platform. The time cap is strictly controlled, restricting social media usage for teenagers to just one hour. Parents can monitor social media usage, as only with their consent can the screen time limit be reduced or increased.

The amendment also sets a rule for social media platforms to ask for the user's age in a neutral way, that is, without nudging them toward giving a particular answer. Moreover any data to be used only for age verification. 

Teenagers and screen addiction 

Previously, a Feb 2025 study, published in Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, revealed how serious mental health conditions are associated with long hours of social media consumption among teenagers. It is quite alarming, as with widespread social media usage, concerning behavioural issues have been seen, such as increased manic symptoms, problematic screen use, and sleep disturbances.

Dr. Jason Nagata, a paediatrician at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals and the lead author of the study, said, “Policymakers need to look at TikTok as a systemic social media issue and create effective measures that protect children online."

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Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.