UK proposes midnight social media curfew for 16 and 17-year-olds
Image: BBC News
Britain wants to switch off social media for older teenagers while they sleep. Under new proposals, apps like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube would be unavailable by default for 16 and 17-year-olds between midnight and 06:00.
The government also wants "addictive" features — auto-play and infinite scroll — switched off by default, arguing the package will improve teenagers' focus, sleep and family life. It follows June's announcement that under-16s will be banned entirely from a range of platforms.
"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," said Technology Secretary Liz Kendall.
Why it matters: The move is the next step in one of the world's strictest crackdowns on Big Tech's hold over young minds. Supporters say a curfew protects developing brains; the government also plans rules for safer AI-chatbot use by under-18s, including enforced breaks. But critics call it a "missed opportunity" — and a "dog's dinner."
Conservative shadow education secretary Laura Trott argues a curfew teens can simply switch off "won't achieve anything," questioning whether 16 and 17-year-olds should be on these platforms at all. Some child-safety charities doubt a midnight cutoff will work in practice.
The measures are expected to reach Parliament by the end of 2026, taking effect alongside the under-16s ban next spring.
What's next: With tech giants likely to push back and parents split, the curfew sets up a fresh battle over who controls the screen — and whether the state can really make bedtime stick.