British 16 and 17-year-olds could soon find their social media accounts locked at midnight under new government proposals designed to improve their sleep and mental health.
Under the plan, platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube would be required to block access for older teenagers between midnight and 06:00 by default. In addition, the government wants companies to disable "addictive" features, such as infinite scrolling and auto-play videos, for this age group. However, because older teens can easily opt out of the curfew by simply changing their account settings, the proposals have already faced significant criticism.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall argued that the measures are essential to help young people get adequate sleep, focus on their education, and spend quality time with family. The curfew proposals follow a government trial in 300 households, which compared different restrictions, including total bans and time limits. According to a government report, the overnight curfew yielded the greatest benefits for teenagers' sleep patterns and family dynamics.
Critics, however, have questioned the effectiveness of the plan. Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott described the policy as a "dog's dinner," arguing that a curfew teenagers can easily turn off will achieve very little. Child safety advocates and digital rights experts also expressed concern. Andy Burrows, chief executive of the Molly Rose Foundation, called the measures "piecemeal" rather than the comprehensive safety plan that children need.
Furthermore, Sonia Livingstone, a professor of children's digital rights at the London School of Economics, warned that a strict curfew could cut off vulnerable teenagers from online support networks when they need help during the night.
The UK government intends to present these measures to Parliament by the end of 2026, aiming for them to take effect next spring. This will coincide with a previously announced complete ban on social media for children under the age of 16, a policy similar to one recently introduced in Australia.