ARLINGTON, Va. — Virginia is tightening restrictions on cell phone use among children, as Gov. Glenn Youngkin recently signed a bill limiting social media use to just one hour per day for kids under 16. This came just weeks before he signed another bill banning cell phone use in schools from bell to bell.

The social media legislation aims to curb excessive screen time and its impact on student focus and mental health. Under the law, social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook and TikTok must implement robust age verification systems to enforce the limit. Parents will have the option to extend usage, but questions remain about how tech companies will comply — and how easily kids may find workarounds.

“There’s always loopholes to things,” said H-B Woodlawn senior Sean Naff. “I don’

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