The UK government has unveiled plans to introduce a default overnight social media curfew for 16- and 17-year-olds, blocking access to social media apps between midnight and 6 a.m. unless users choose to disable the restriction.
The proposal is part of a broader online safety initiative aimed at reducing excessive screen time and protecting teenagers from addictive platform features. Under the plan, autoplay videos, infinite scrolling, and personalized content feeds would also be switched off by default for older teens, although they could opt out by changing their account settings.
UK Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said the measures are designed to improve sleep, concentration, mental well-being, and family life while ensuring teenagers continue to have greater independence online. The policy follows the government’s planned ban on social media access for children under 16 and is expected to be introduced in legislation later this year before taking effect in 2027.