NetChoice Challenges Virginia’s New Social Media Restrictions in Court
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — On Monday, NetChoice, an influential trade association representing some of the technology sector’s largest companies, announced legal action against the state of Virginia. The lawsuit targets a newly enacted social media law requiring users under 16 to verify their age and restricting their social media use to just one hour per day.
Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia in Alexandria, the complaint names Virginia’s outgoing Attorney General, Jason Miyares, a Republican. The lawsuit argues that Senate Bill 854 infringes upon the First Amendment rights of both minors and adult users.
Paul Taske, co-director of NetChoice’s Litigation Center, emphasized the group’s stance, stating, “Parenting decisions belong with the parents, not the state.” He further warned that the law could endanger users’ privacy and security by forcing the government to control online age verification.
Scheduled to take effect January 1, 2026, the law requires both minors and adults to verify their age to access protected speech online. Additionally, it imposes a strict one-hour daily limit on social media use for users under 16, with adults needing to confirm any extension requests.
Taske criticized the restrictions, explaining, “The government cannot mandate you consume books or movies in one-hour segments, nor should it regulate speech online in this way.”
Besides setting usage limitations, the law also bans cellphone and mobile device usage within school premises. Virginia’s lawmakers have framed the legislation as a public health measure to safeguard minors online.
NetChoice counts major industry players such as Meta Platforms, Netflix, Google, X, and Etsy among its members.
Article summarized and rephrased from reporting on NetChoice’s lawsuit against Virginia’s Senate Bill 854.
