UK announces social media curfew for 16, 17-year-olds

Young people in the UK aged 16 and 17 may soon face a voluntary overnight social media curfew, alongside new restrictions on features like infinite scrolling and mandatory breaks for AI chatbot use. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall announced the plans, which aim to help teenagers get adequate sleep, improve focus on studies, and foster better family and friend relationships. These measures are part of a broader government strategy to regulate children's social media engagement. Under the proposed defaults, access to social media platforms would be blocked between midnight and 6 am for older teenagers. Features designed to maximize user engagement, such as endless video feeds and algorithmic content, would also be automatically deactivated. However, the effectiveness of these new rules is already being debated, with critics pointing out that 16 and 17-year-olds will have the ability to disable these default settings themselves. The government is also considering additional safeguards for children using artificial intelligence, including mandatory breaks for those under 18 interacting with chatbots and stricter oversight of AI services providing mental health advice. Some proposals reportedly include banning chatbots deemed a significant risk to children's well-being. Opposition figures have criticized the plans, labeling them as ineffective, particularly the voluntary curfews that can be easily bypassed.

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These measures will be crucial in helping young people get the sleep they need, focus on school and college, and spend more quality time with family and friends, all of which are fundamental to building a happy, healthy and fulfilling adult life.