‘The Big Money Show’ panel responds to Meta’s new warnings about child safety, as social media companies face increasing scrutiny in court over teen mental health claims.
Virginia has filed a notice announcing plans to appeal a judge’s preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of a state law that today limits the time minors under 16 can spend on social media to one hour.
While U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles admitted that the widespread presence of social media and overexposure to it “can lead to social media.” [undoubtedly] impact minors,” she ultimately granted the preliminary injunction, citing First Amendment concerns.
“The issues in this case should not be taken lightly. The Court recognizes the Commonwealth’s compelling interest in protecting its youth from the harms associated with the addictive aspects of social media. However, it cannot infringe on the First Amendment rights, including those of the same youth it seeks to protect,” Giles wrote in her Memorandum Opinion.
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Three friends use their smartphones while sitting on a bench in a park. (pixdeluxe/Getty Images)
“This ruling prevents the state of Virginia from imposing unconstitutional restrictions on how its citizens can access lawful expression online as NetChoice v. Miyares moves through the legal system,” the organization’s statement read.
Paul Taske, co-director of the NetChoice Litigation Centercelebrated the preliminary injunction, saying, “The First Amendment lives in Virginia.”
NetChoice’s case bears the name of former Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, a Republican, as it was filed while he was still in office. Current Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones, a Democrat, issued the notice of appeal for this case, indicating that the state is still interested in enforcing this law.
A 12-year-old boy looks at an iPhone screen showing various social media apps, including TikTok, Facebook and X, on December 19, 2023 in Bath, England. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images/Getty Images)
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In its complaint, NetChoice stated that “Virginia Senate Bill 854 is the latest attempt in a long line of government efforts to restrict new forms of constitutionally protected speech based on concerns about its potential impact on minors.” The organization compared concerns about young people and social media to concerns historically expressed about various books, movies, television shows, rock music, video games and the Internet.
“These debates are important, and the government can certainly participate in them. But the First Amendment does not look kindly on government efforts to resolve them,” the complaint reads.
Instagram’s Teen Accounts – which have certain restrictions to protect minors – have 60-minute time limit reminders that encourage teens to leave the app after an hour. Additionally, sleep mode is enabled between 10pm and 7am, muting notifications and sending automatic replies to direct messages. Meta also has teen accounts set up for Facebook and Messenger.
Virginia is appealing a federal judge’s preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of the law limiting minors under the age of 16 to one hour of social media per day. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images/Getty Images)
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Last week Meta announced the implementation of new parental notifications intended to let parents know if their child repeatedly searches for terms related to suicide or self-harm.
Jones has notified the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia that he plans to appeal Giles’ ruling. Her ruling was issued on February 27 and federal appellate rules require the appeal to be filed within 30 days of the judge’s order. A brief can be submitted before the end of the month.
