UK proposes midnight social media curfew for 16 and 17-year-olds

The UK Government has announced plans to introduce a default overnight social media curfew for 16 and 17-year-olds as part of a wider effort to improve young people's sleep, wellbeing and online safety. If approved, popular platforms including Instagram, TikTok and YouTube would automatically be unavailable between midnight and 6:00am, although teenagers would still be able to switch the restriction off through their account settings.

Alongside the overnight curfew, the Government wants social media companies to disable addictive features such as infinite scrolling and auto-play by default for older teenagers. Ministers believe these changes will help reduce excessive screen time, improve concentration at school or college and encourage healthier sleep habits.

The proposals follow the Government's announcement that under-16s will be banned from using a range of social media platforms. New measures are also planned for AI chatbots, with providers expected to introduce regular break reminders for users under the age of 18.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said the plans are designed to help young people enjoy the benefits of technology while reducing its harmful effects. The Government says trials involving hundreds of teenagers found overnight curfews led to better sleep, improved family time and were easier for parents to manage than other screen time restrictions.

However, the proposals have received mixed reactions. Some politicians and child safety experts argue that allowing teenagers to disable the curfew themselves could limit its effectiveness, while others have warned that restricting overnight access may prevent vulnerable young people from reaching online support services when they need them most.

If the legislation is approved by Parliament, the new rules are expected to come into force alongside the planned under-16 social media restrictions, making them some of the biggest changes to online safety laws for young people in the UK.