RICHMOND, Va. (7News) — A new Virginia law will soon limit how much time teens can spend on social media.

Starting Jan. 1, 2026, users under the age of 16 will be restricted to just one hour of social media per day, unless parents give verifiable consent to allow more time.

Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube are all expected to comply.

The bill was co-sponsored by State Senator Schuyler VanValkenburg, a Henrico County teacher who’s seen firsthand the effects of excessive screen time on students.

“You see how much it hinders their ability to do well in school, and you see how much it hinders their socialization with their friends,” VanValkenburg said.

Originally, lawmakers proposed stricter measures, including banning addictive feeds and setting limits for users under 18. While those provisions didn’t make it into the final law, the revised version gained broader support, including from tech companies like Meta.

“What is contained in the bill actually mimics a significant amount of what we already have for our teen accounts in Instagram,” said Meta lobbyist Patrick Cushing.

Gov. Youngkin sought to expand the law further, but proposed amendments were rejected.

This new measure comes as part of a broader push to address youth mental health. The state also issued an executive order to develop policies limiting cell phone use during school hours.

While enforcement details remain unclear, violators could face fines under Virginia’s consumer protection laws.