UK proposes midnight social media curfew for 16-17-year-old teenagers

The UK government has announced a new plan proposing that access to social media platforms for 16- and 17-year-olds be blocked by default between midnight and 06:00 in the morning. However, teenagers will be able to disable this restriction themselves by changing their account settings. The government also wants addictive features such as autoplay and infinite scrolling to be disabled by default.

These measures aim to increase the sleep quality of teenagers, make it easier for them to focus at school, and improve their family lives. However, campaigners and the opposition argue that the plan falls short because the restriction can be easily disabled by the user. Experts stating that more comprehensive measures should be taken to protect children in the digital environment express their doubts about whether the implementation will work as intended.

The government plans to force social media companies and artificial intelligence chatbot providers to comply with the new regulations. The proposals are aimed to be submitted to Parliament by the end of 2026 and to come into effect next spring alongside the social media ban for those under 16.