{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/59.1-577.1.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/59.1-577.1.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/59.1-577.1.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/59.1-577.1.html"}],"law_id":57451,"edition_id":1,"section_id":57451,"structure_id":14234,"section_number":"59.1-577.1","catch_line":"(Effective January 1, 2026) Social media platforms; responsibilities and prohibitions related to minors","history":"2025, c. 703.","full_text":"A\n\nFor purposes of this section, “minor” means any natural person younger than 16 years of age.B\n\nAny controller or processor that operates a social media platform shall (i) use commercially reasonable methods, such as a neutral age screen mechanism, to determine whether a user is a minor and (ii) limit a minor’s use of such social media platform to one hour per day, per service or application, and allow a parent to give verifiable parental consent to increase or decrease the daily time limit.C\n\nInformation collected for the purpose of determining a user’s age shall not be used for any purpose other than age determination and provision of age-appropriate experiences. For purposes of this section, any controller or processor that operates a social media platform shall treat a user as a minor if the user’s device communicates or signals that the user is or shall be treated as a minor, including through a browser plug-in or privacy setting, device setting, or other mechanism.D\n\nNothing in this section shall be construed as requiring any controller or processor that operates a social media platform to give a parent who grants verifiable parental consent pursuant to subsection B any additional or special access to or control over the data or accounts of the minor.E\n\nNo controller or processor that operates a social media platform shall withhold, degrade, lower the quality of, or increase the price of any online service, product, or feature to a user due to the controller or processor not being permitted to provide use of such social media platform beyond the one hour per day, per service or application, daily time limit under subsection B. However, nothing in this section shall be construed as (i) requiring a social media platform to provide an online service, product, or feature that requires the personal information of a known minor or (ii) prohibiting a social media platform from offering a different price, rate, level, quality, or selection of goods or services to a known minor, including offering goods or services for no fee, if such behavior is reasonably related to the exercise of rights pursuant to or compliance with the requirements of this chapter.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":210507,"text":"For purposes of this section, “minor” means any natural person younger than 16 years of age.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":210508,"text":"Any controller or processor that operates a social media platform shall (i) use commercially reasonable methods, such as a neutral age screen mechanism, to determine whether a user is a minor and (ii) limit a minor’s use of such social media platform to one hour per day, per service or application, and allow a parent to give verifiable parental consent to increase or decrease the daily time limit.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":210509,"text":"Information collected for the purpose of determining a user’s age shall not be used for any purpose other than age determination and provision of age-appropriate experiences. For purposes of this section, any controller or processor that operates a social media platform shall treat a user as a minor if the user’s device communicates or signals that the user is or shall be treated as a minor, including through a browser plug-in or privacy setting, device setting, or other mechanism.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":210510,"text":"Nothing in this section shall be construed as requiring any controller or processor that operates a social media platform to give a parent who grants verifiable parental consent pursuant to subsection B any additional or special access to or control over the data or accounts of the minor.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C","next_prefix":"E"},"4":{"id":210511,"text":"No controller or processor that operates a social media platform shall withhold, degrade, lower the quality of, or increase the price of any online service, product, or feature to a user due to the controller or processor not being permitted to provide use of such social media platform beyond the one hour per day, per service or application, daily time limit under subsection B. However, nothing in this section shall be construed as (i) requiring a social media platform to provide an online service, product, or feature that requires the personal information of a known minor or (ii) prohibiting a social media platform from offering a different price, rate, level, quality, or selection of goods or services to a known minor, including offering goods or services for no fee, if such behavior is reasonably related to the exercise of rights pursuant to or compliance with the requirements of this chapter.","type":"section","prefixes":["E"],"prefix":"E","entire_prefix":"E","prefix_anchor":"E","level":1,"prior_prefix":"D"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14234,"edition_id":1,"name":"Consumer Data Protection Act","identifier":"53","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12809,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:47:24","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:47:24","permalink":{"id":262743,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14234,"identifier":"53","token":"59.1\/53","url":"\/59.1\/53\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12809,"edition_id":1,"name":"Trade and Commerce","identifier":"59.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:54","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:54","permalink":{"id":259521,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12809,"identifier":"59.1","token":"59.1","url":"\/59.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":81398,"structure_id":14234,"section_number":"59.1-575","catch_line":"(Effective January 1, 2026) Definitions","url":"\/59.1-575\/","token":"59.1\/53\/59.1-575","metadata":false},{"id":63761,"structure_id":14234,"section_number":"59.1-576","catch_line":"Scope; exemptions","url":"\/59.1-576\/","token":"59.1\/53\/59.1-576","metadata":false},{"id":83673,"structure_id":14234,"section_number":"59.1-577","catch_line":"Personal data rights; consumers","url":"\/59.1-577\/","token":"59.1\/53\/59.1-577","metadata":false},{"id":57451,"structure_id":14234,"section_number":"59.1-577.1","catch_line":"(Effective January 1, 2026) Social media platforms; responsibilities and prohibitions related to minors","url":"\/59.1-577.1\/","token":"59.1\/53\/59.1-577.1","metadata":false},{"id":84222,"structure_id":14234,"section_number":"59.1-578","catch_line":"Data controller responsibilities; transparency","url":"\/59.1-578\/","token":"59.1\/53\/59.1-578","metadata":false},{"id":55458,"structure_id":14234,"section_number":"59.1-579","catch_line":"Responsibility according to role; controller and processor","url":"\/59.1-579\/","token":"59.1\/53\/59.1-579","metadata":false},{"id":60582,"structure_id":14234,"section_number":"59.1-580","catch_line":"Data protection assessments","url":"\/59.1-580\/","token":"59.1\/53\/59.1-580","metadata":false},{"id":83283,"structure_id":14234,"section_number":"59.1-581","catch_line":"Processing de-identified data; exemptions","url":"\/59.1-581\/","token":"59.1\/53\/59.1-581","metadata":false},{"id":83633,"structure_id":14234,"section_number":"59.1-582","catch_line":"Limitations","url":"\/59.1-582\/","token":"59.1\/53\/59.1-582","metadata":false},{"id":83422,"structure_id":14234,"section_number":"59.1-583","catch_line":"Investigative authority","url":"\/59.1-583\/","token":"59.1\/53\/59.1-583","metadata":false},{"id":71726,"structure_id":14234,"section_number":"59.1-584","catch_line":"Enforcement; civil penalty; expenses","url":"\/59.1-584\/","token":"59.1\/53\/59.1-584","metadata":false},{"id":80279,"structure_id":14234,"section_number":"59.1-585","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/59.1-585\/","token":"59.1\/53\/59.1-585","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":83673,"structure_id":14234,"section_number":"59.1-577","catch_line":"Personal data rights; consumers","url":"\/59.1-577\/","token":"59.1\/53\/59.1-577","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":84222,"structure_id":14234,"section_number":"59.1-578","catch_line":"Data controller responsibilities; transparency","url":"\/59.1-578\/","token":"59.1\/53\/59.1-578","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/59.1-577.1\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2025. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 703<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":262757,"object_type":"law","relational_id":57451,"identifier":"59.1-577.1","token":"59.1\/53\/59.1-577.1","url":"\/59.1-577.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/59.1-577.1\/","token":"59.1\/53\/59.1-577.1","dublin_core":{"Title":"(Effective January 1, 2026) Social media platforms; responsibilities and prohibitions related to minors","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 59.1-577.1","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> For purposes of this section, “minor<\/span>” means any natural person younger than 16 years of age. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Any controller<\/span> or processor<\/span> that operates a social media platform<\/span> shall (i) use commercially reasonable methods, such as a neutral age screen mechanism, to determine whether a user<\/span> is a minor<\/span> and (ii) limit a minor<\/span>’s use of such social media platform<\/span> to one hour per day, per service or application, and allow a parent<\/span> to give verifiable parental consent<\/span> to increase or decrease the daily time limit. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> Information collected for the purpose of determining a user<\/span>’s age shall not be used for any purpose other than age determination and provision of age-appropriate experiences. For purposes of this section, any controller<\/span> or processor<\/span> that operates a social media platform<\/span> shall treat a user<\/span> as a minor<\/span> if the user<\/span>’s device communicates or signals that the user<\/span> is or shall be treated as a minor<\/span>, including through a browser plug-in or privacy setting, device setting, or other mechanism. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> Nothing in this section shall be construed as requiring any controller<\/span> or processor<\/span> that operates a social media platform<\/span> to give a parent<\/span> who grants verifiable parental consent<\/span> pursuant to subsection B any additional or special access to or control<\/span> over the data or accounts of the minor<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

E.<\/span> No controller<\/span> or processor<\/span> that operates a social media platform<\/span> shall withhold, degrade, lower the quality of, or increase the price of any online service, product, or feature<\/span> to a user<\/span> due to the controller<\/span> or processor<\/span> not being permitted to provide use of such social media platform<\/span> beyond the one hour per day, per service or application, daily time limit under subsection B. However, nothing in this section shall be construed as (i) requiring a social media platform<\/span> to provide an online service, product, or feature<\/span> that requires the personal information of a known minor<\/span> or (ii) prohibiting a social media platform<\/span> from offering a different price, rate, level, quality, or selection of goods or services to a known minor<\/span>, including offering goods or services for no fee, if such behavior is reasonably related to the exercise of rights pursuant to or compliance with the requirements of this chapter. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\n(EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2026) SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS; RESPONSIBILITIES AND\nPROHIBITIONS RELATED TO MINORS (\u00a7 59.1-577.1)\n\nA. For purposes of this section, “minor” means any natural person\nyounger than 16 years of age.\n\nB. Any controller or processor that operates a social media platform shall (i)\nuse commercially reasonable methods, such as a neutral age screen mechanism, to\ndetermine whether a user is a minor and (ii) limit a minor’s use of such\nsocial media platform to one hour per day, per service or application, and allow\na parent to give verifiable parental consent to increase or decrease the daily\ntime limit.\n\nC. Information collected for the purpose of determining a user’s age shall\nnot be used for any purpose other than age determination and provision of\nage-appropriate experiences. For purposes of this section, any controller or\nprocessor that operates a social media platform shall treat a user as a minor if\nthe user’s device communicates or signals that the user is or shall be\ntreated as a minor, including through a browser plug-in or privacy setting,\ndevice setting, or other mechanism.\n\nD. Nothing in this section shall be construed as requiring any controller or\nprocessor that operates a social media platform to give a parent who grants\nverifiable parental consent pursuant to subsection B any additional or special\naccess to or control over the data or accounts of the minor.\n\nE. No controller or processor that operates a social media platform shall\nwithhold, degrade, lower the quality of, or increase the price of any online\nservice, product, or feature to a user due to the controller or processor not\nbeing permitted to provide use of such social media platform beyond the one hour\nper day, per service or application, daily time limit under subsection B.\nHowever, nothing in this section shall be construed as (i) requiring a social\nmedia platform to provide an online service, product, or feature that requires\nthe personal information of a known minor or (ii) prohibiting a social media\nplatform from offering a different price, rate, level, quality, or selection of\ngoods or services to a known minor, including offering goods or services for no\nfee, if such behavior is reasonably related to the exercise of rights pursuant\nto or compliance with the requirements of this chapter.\n\nHISTORY: 2025, c. 703.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}