Older teenagers in the United Kingdom are set to face an overnight social media curfew under new government proposals. The plan would see major platforms, including Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, become unavailable by default for 16 and 17-year-olds between the hours of midnight and 06:00.
While the curfew is intended to be the standard setting, the government confirmed that teenagers will retain the ability to opt out of these restrictions by manually changing their account settings.
In addition to the curfew, the government aims to disable "addictive" features such as infinite scroll and auto-play. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall stated that these combined measures are intended to improve sleep quality, help young people focus on their school and college work, and foster more quality time with family and friends.
Kendall emphasized that these tools are fundamental to building a healthy and fulfilling adult life, noting that the government wants young people to enjoy the benefits of technology while having the necessary tools to thrive in the online world.
Furthermore, the government plans to introduce additional measures for AI chatbot providers, requiring them to implement regular breaks for users under the age of 18.
The government intends to present these proposed measures to Parliament by the end of 2026, with the goal of having them take effect alongside the previously announced social media ban for children under 16, which is scheduled for next spring. These plans follow a series of trials conducted by the government in homes across the UK. The study involved 300 teenagers and compared various interventions, including total app bans, overnight blocks between 21:00 and 07:00, and usage caps.
According to a report published on Tuesday, the overnight curfew was identified as the most manageable option for parents to enforce, while also providing the most significant benefits for sleep and family communication.
However, the proposals have drawn criticism from various sectors. Conservative shadow education secretary Laura Trott described the plan as a "dog's dinner," arguing that a curfew that can be easily switched off by the user will not achieve its intended goals. She questioned the government's stance, stating that they should either commit to a firm position on social media usage or acknowledge that such curfews are ineffective.
Other critics have labeled the proposals as "piecemeal" and a "missed opportunity" for children's safety. One critic noted that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is leaving office having announced a social media ban without a clear plan, leaving his likely successor, Andy Burnham, to inherit a series of missed opportunities.
Expert opinion remains divided on the effectiveness of these measures. Prof. Sonia Livingstone, an expert in children's digital rights at the London School of Economics, warned that a blanket curfew could potentially harm vulnerable children by limiting their access to social media when they might need it most.
While she supported a curfew on companies using push notifications to wake users at night, she expressed concern that preventing a child in need of support or comfort from reaching out to trusted sources during the night could be harmful.
She added that she would be watching the policy delivery closely to ensure effectiveness and to push Ofcom to utilize its powers for child safety.
Meanwhile, Prof. Pete Etchells of Bath Spa University cautioned against over-relying on the government's small-scale study, describing it as only one part of a complex puzzle regarding how families navigate technology. The UK's move follows similar restrictions implemented in Australia in December, where social media apps were forced to close teen accounts. However, those curbs have faced criticism for being ineffective, with many teens reporting they can still access banned sites.
Addressing concerns about potential loopholes, the government stated on Tuesday that research it commissioned suggests there is little evidence that children are currently using virtual private networks (VPNs) to bypass age verification systems.
The plans follow the announcement in June that under-16s in the UK would be banned entirely from a range of platforms.
The proposals outlined by the prime minister follow in Australia's footsteps by banning social media for under-16s in the UK.
