By Oluwakemi Kindness
The UK government has announced an overnight social media curfew for 16 and 17-year-olds, as part of new measures aimed at improving teenagers’ sleep, focus and wellbeing.
Under the proposal, platforms including Instagram, TikTok and YouTube will automatically become unavailable to users aged 16 and 17 between midnight and 6:00 a.m.
However, teenagers will be able to opt out by changing their account settings. The government also plans to disable features such as auto-play and infinite scrolling by default, arguing that reducing excessive screen time will help young people perform better at school and spend more time with family.
Online Safety Minister, Kanishka Narayan said the combined measures would make the UK one of the world’s toughest regulators of technology companies and encourage healthier digital habits.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said the changes are designed to help teenagers get enough sleep, stay focused on education and enjoy technology in a safer way.
The plans have drawn mixed reactions. Online safety campaigner Ellen Roome, whose 14-year-old son died after an alleged online challenge in 2022, said allowing teenagers to switch off the curfew weakens the policy and called for stricter rules.
Some teenagers also questioned the proposal. While one 17-year-old said the curfew could help remind users to reduce screen time, another argued that if older teenagers are trusted to make major life decisions, they should also control their own social media use.
The government expects to present the legislation to Parliament before the end of 2026, with the new rules expected to take effect alongside a planned social media ban for children under 16 next Spring.
