UK Proposes Social Media Curfews for Teenagers
The UK government has proposed new measures including nightly social media curfews and disabling certain features for 16 and 17-year-olds.
The U.K. government is introducing new regulations aimed at limiting social media use among teenagers. The proposed policy targets 16 and 17-year-olds, mandating a nightly curfew for social media access and disabling features that encourage prolonged engagement.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) put forward the proposal, which would restrict access to social media apps between midnight and 6 a.m. daily. Features like auto-playing videos and personalized content feeds would also be turned off by default.
This approach seeks to balance giving older teenagers greater online safeguards while allowing them autonomy over their settings. The policy is informed by a pilot program involving over 300 families who tested various restrictions, including time limits and complete bans, reporting potential mental health benefits alongside social and emotional trade-offs.
The government plans to present the proposal to Parliament by the end of the year, with the intention of enacting it early next year, similar to a previously announced ban for under-16s. The initiative also includes plans to enhance media literacy education in schools.