Commercial entity offering social media accounts; restricted hours for minors, civil liability.
Summary
SB 1345 would create a new civil cause of action in Virginia law against commercial entities that offer social media accounts if they knowingly or intentionally allow a minor to access the account between midnight and 6:00 a.m., unless a parent, guardian, or legal custodian has given permission. The bill defines “social media account” broadly to cover online personal accounts and applications that let users create profiles, share content, and interact with user-generated content. It also specifies that the relevant time window is determined by the minor’s IP address location at the time of access.
If a platform violates the restriction, it could be liable for damages tied to alleged interference with a minor’s sleep cycle or mental health, along with reasonable attorney fees and costs. The bill also includes a disclaimer stating that it should not be construed to impose obligations or liability on providers or users of an interactive computer service, which appears intended to limit overlap with existing internet-service protections.
Impact
The bill would add a new section, § 8.01-40.6, to the Code of Virginia and create a new statutory basis for civil liability against social media companies in cases involving minors’ late-night access. It would affect commercial social media platforms by imposing a duty to restrict access during specified overnight hours unless parental permission is provided, and it would expose violators to damages and fee awards. The bill also attempts to preserve existing interactive computer service protections by stating that it does not impose obligations or liability on such providers or users.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests the bill faced skepticism in committee and did not advance, as it was passed by indefinitely in the Senate Committee on Courts of Justice on an 8-7 vote. That narrow margin indicates a closely divided committee and a generally mixed or contested reception rather than broad support. No committee transcript is available, so the record reflects the vote outcome more than detailed debate.
Contention
The main points of contention likely center on whether the state should regulate minors’ access to social media by time of day, whether such a restriction is enforceable in practice, and whether it creates new liability for platforms based on alleged mental-health or sleep-related harms. Opponents may have concerns about parental responsibility, privacy, age verification, and potential conflicts with internet-law protections, while supporters likely view the bill as a child-safety and mental-health measure. The narrow committee vote indicates these issues were closely disputed among members of the Committee on Courts of Justice.