Midnight social media curfew proposed for older UK teens
Older teenagers in the UK will face an overnight social media curfew, but they can opt out of it by changing their account settings, the government has announced.
This means apps like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube are set by default to be unusable by 16 and 17-year-olds between midnight and 6am.
The government also wants “addictive” features such as autoplay and infinite scrolling to be disabled, saying these measures – along with a curfew – will improve young people’s concentration, sleep quality and family life.
But critics described the proposals as “piecemeal” and a “missed opportunity” for children’s safety.
The plans follow the announcement in June that under-16s in the UK would be completely banned from various platforms.
“These measures will be crucial to helping young people get the sleep they need, focus on school and university and spend more quality time with family and friends – all of which are essential to creating a happy, healthy and fulfilling adult life,” said Technology Minister Liz Kendall.
“We want young people to enjoy the benefits of technology while having the tools to make the online world a place where they can thrive.”
Laura Trott, the Conservative Party’s shadow education secretary, described the plans as “dog food”.
“Either they think 16 and 17-year-olds should be on social media, or they don’t, but the curfews they can lift won’t achieve anything,” he said.
The government said additional measures aimed at helping children use AI chatbots safely, including ensuring providers provide regular breaks for those under 18, will be put in place.
He says he will aim to present proposed new measures to parliament by the end of 2026, with the aim of introducing a social media ban on people under 16 next spring, as well as proposed new measures.
But some child safety charities and experts cast doubt on the effectiveness or promises of a midnight curfew for older teenagers in the UK.
Andy Burrows, chief executive of the Molly Rose Foundation, said: “While we welcome these measures for older youngsters, this latest move is a series of piecemeal announcements rather than the comprehensive plan needed for children’s safety.”
He added that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer “left office by announcing a social media ban without a plan” and that his successor, Andy Burnham, would likely “inherit a series of missed opportunities”.
Meanwhile, Prof Sonia Livingstone, an expert on children’s digital rights at the London School of Economics, said the lockdown could harm vulnerable children by limiting their access to social media when they need it most.
Prof Livingstone told the BBC: “If there’s a curfew for companies using push notifications to wake someone up at night, there should definitely be a curfew.”
“But if there’s a curfew that prevents a child who needs support, help, or comfort from accessing trusted resources in the middle of the night, I think that’s potentially quite harmful.”
