Instagram, TikTok and YouTube would be disabled by default for users aged 16 and 17 between midnight and 6 a.m.
LONDON: The British government has proposed an overnight social media curfew for 16- and 17-year-olds as part of broader efforts to improve young people’s sleep, attention and overall well-being.
Under the proposal, popular platforms including Instagram, TikTok and YouTube would be disabled by default for users aged 16 and 17 between midnight and 6 a.m. Teenagers would, however, be able to opt out of the restriction by changing their account settings.
The government also plans to require addictive platform features, such as autoplay and infinite scrolling, to be switched off by default for younger users.
Officials say the measures are intended to reduce excessive screen time, improve sleep quality and encourage healthier family life.
Campaigner Ellen Roome, whose 14-year-old son Jules Sweeney died in 2022 during an alleged online challenge, criticized the proposals as insufficient because teenagers can simply disable the restrictions.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, she argued that stronger safeguards are needed to better protect young people online.
The proposals also include mandatory breaks for AI chatbots used by people under 18. The government plans to introduce the legislation in Parliament later this year, with the measures expected to take effect alongside broader online safety rules for children under 16 next spring.
More read, Punjab Assembly urged to ban social media for children under 16
Earlier, Punjab Child Protection and Welfare Bureau Chairperson and Punjab Assembly member Sarah Ahmad has submitted a resolution seeking restrictions on social media use by children younger than 16.
Sarah Ahmad urged the provincial government to recommend that the federal government introduce comprehensive legislation to regulate children’s access to social media platforms and strengthen online safety measures.
The resolution says protecting children’s physical, mental, psychological and moral development is both a constitutional and moral responsibility of the state.
