UK proposes midnight social media curfew for older teens

The UK government has announced plans for an overnight social media curfew targeting 16 and 17-year-olds, aiming to improve their focus, sleep, and family life. Under the proposed measures, popular platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube would be inaccessible by default between midnight and 6 a.m. Users would have the option to disable this restriction by adjusting their account settings.

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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.

In addition to the curfew, the government intends to disable "addictive" features such as auto-play and infinite scroll on these platforms. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall stated these measures are crucial for young people's well-being, helping them get necessary sleep, concentrate on studies, and foster stronger connections with family and friends. The government also plans further measures to ensure children use AI chatbots safely, including mandatory breaks for users under 18.

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Either they think 16 and 17-year-olds should be on social media or they don't, but curfews they can simply switch off won't achieve anything.

However, the proposals have drawn criticism from various groups. Laura Trott, the Conservative shadow education secretary, dismissed the plans as a "dog's dinner," questioning their effectiveness if easily bypassed. Child safety advocates and experts have also voiced concerns. Andy Burrows, chief executive of the Molly Rose Foundation, called the announcements "piecemeal" and a "missed opportunity" for comprehensive child safety measures.

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While we welcome these measures for older teens, this latest move is yet another piecemeal set of announcements not the comprehensive plan for children's safety that's required.

Professor Sonia Livingstone, an expert in children's digital rights at the London School of Economics, raised concerns that a curfew could negatively impact vulnerable children. She argued that while disabling disruptive notifications is beneficial, preventing young people from accessing support or comfort from social media during the night could be harmful. The government aims to present these measures to parliament by the end of 2026, with the goal of implementation by next spring, coinciding with a planned ban for under-16s.

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If it's a curfew on companies using push notifications to wake someone up in the night, absolutely have a curfew. But if it's a curfew that prevents a child in need of support or help or comfort reaching out to trusted sources in the middle of the night, I think that's quite harmful potentially.