UK proposes social media curfew for older teens - why and how it will be introduced
The Government has unveiled plans to introduce a voluntary overnight social media curfew for 16 and 17-year-olds, alongside restrictions on addictive platform features and new safeguards around artificial intelligence.
The measures form part of Labour's wider plans to make the online world safer for children, following the announcement of a social media ban for under-16s from next spring.
Why will the ban be introduced?
To reduce the impact of addictive social media features
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said the proposals are designed to stop older teenagers from being exposed to the most addictive parts of social media as they gain greater independence.
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She said: "Our consultation provided a clear message from parents and teenagers alike – even as young people gain greater independence at 16, they should still be protected from the most addictive online features that can have a harmful impact on their wellbeing."
To improve sleep, concentration and wellbeing
The Government says limiting overnight access and disabling addictive features by default could help teenagers develop healthier habits.
Ms Kendall said: "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.
"We want young people to enjoy the benefits of technology while having the tools to make the online world a place where they can thrive."
According to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), families involved in a Government pilot with more than 300 teenagers and parents reported that overnight curfews improved sleep and concentration.
To respond to concerns raised by young people
Children's Commissioner for England Dame Rachel de Souza said teenagers had called for greater protections rather than an outright ban.
She said: "We have to listen to young people. They don't want a ban, but they do want to be protected from addictive, infinite scrolling; dangerous strangers trying to chat to them and explicit content they wished they hadn't seen.
"I have called for action to protect children up to 18 and today's announcement is a positive step. Young people tell me they try to cut down social media use but find it hard – so restrictions on infinite-scrolling are welcome."
How it will be introduced
A default overnight social media curfew
Under the proposals, 16 and 17-year-olds would have social media access switched off by default between midnight and 6 am. Unlike the planned ban for under-16s, the curfew will be voluntary, meaning older teenagers can turn the setting off.
The proposals have prompted criticism over whether the measures will be effective if they can simply be disabled.
Conservative shadow education secretary Laura Trott said: "This is another dog's dinner from Labour.
"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.
"Giving 16-year-olds the vote while putting them under a social media curfew makes no sense."
Infinite scrolling and algorithmic feeds switched off
Features designed to maximise engagement, including endless video feeds and algorithm-driven recommendations, will be disabled by default for older teenagers.
NSPCC chief executive Chris Sherwood welcomed the move but said more action would be needed.
He said: "These proposed safety measures for 16 and 17-year-olds will go some way to improving the experiences of young people on social media – particularly having autoplay and functions that recommend content turned off by default and a curfew.
"But the proposals will not be enough on their own.
"Unless they're followed up with further, stronger measures they will be a sticking plaster that fails to address the addictive design features which are driving high screentime and undermining children's wellbeing."
New safeguards for AI chatbots
The Government also wants to introduce new protections for children using artificial intelligence.
The plans include requiring under-18s to take regular breaks while using AI chatbots and targeting services that provide 'dangerous, misleading or unverified mental health advice'. Ministers are also considering banning chatbots that pose a serious risk to children.
New guidance for families on safe AI use will be published, while media literacy lessons in schools will be strengthened from September.
Backed by stronger age checks
Online safety experts say the plans will rely on platforms being able to accurately identify users' ages.
Andy Lulham, chief operating officer at online safety provider Verifymy, said: "The default setting for the overnight limit for 16 and 17-year-olds will ask the most of platforms technically, since they'll now need to identify and apply different rules to three distinct groups – the under-16s being banned from next spring, older adolescents, and adults with full, open access.
"None of this will work without robust age assurance underpinning it. A default can only do its job if a platform knows, reliably, that a user is 16 or 17."
Questions remain over the plans
Children's Commissioner Dame Rachel said she wanted more detail on how the curfew would work in practice.
She said: "I want to know more about how the policies, such as a curfew, will be delivered and will be watching closely to make sure they are effective – alongside pushing Ofcom to make full use of its powers to make the online world safer for children."
Colette Collins-Walsh, from the 5Rights Foundation, also argued the proposals do not address the root cause of the problem.
She said: "Social media bans and curfews only manage exposure to risk. They do nothing to incentivise change in a tech industry built on capturing children's attention.
"The Government has promised children a good childhood in the digital age. That means requiring safe and age-appropriate design across all the digital products and services children use, at home, school and everything in between."
Topics: Parenting, Politics, Social Media, UK News, Technology
Rhiannon Ingle