The UK government has unveiled plans to introduce a default overnight social media curfew for teenagers aged 16 and 17, as ministers seek to tackle excessive screen time, improve sleep quality and address growing concerns over young people’s mental health.
If approved by Parliament, the proposal would require social media platforms to automatically restrict access for users in the age group between midnight and 6 a.m.
The measure would affect major platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, while messaging services including WhatsApp and Signal would remain unaffected.
Unlike an outright prohibition, the proposed overnight restriction would function as a default setting. Teenagers aged 16 and 17 would still be able to access social media during the restricted hours if they manually disabled the feature through their account settings.
Online Safety Minister Kanishka Narayan defended the approach, arguing that the government wants to give teenagers tools that encourage healthier digital habits rather than imposing blanket restrictions.
“We shouldn’t underestimate young people. Many of them will use these settings to help manage their screen time and improve their sleep.”
The government believes making healthier settings the default will encourage more teenagers to leave them enabled rather than actively switching them off.
In the proposal, Social media companies would also be expected to disable engagement-driven features for under-18 users by default. These include: infinite scrolling, autoplay videos, continuous content recommendations
Officials argue these design features contribute significantly to prolonged screen time by encouraging users to remain on platforms far longer than intended. The government also wants AI chatbot platforms to introduce mandatory break reminders for users under the age of 18.
The aim is to reduce excessive interaction with artificial intelligence tools while encouraging healthier online behaviour
Central to the proposal is the government’s concern over “doomscrolling”—the habit of endlessly consuming social media content late into the night.
Government ministers argue that encouraging teenagers to disconnect overnight could improve both physical and mental well-being.
Despite the proposal’s health-focused objectives, critics have questioned whether the curfew will achieve meaningful results.
Opposition politicians argue that allowing teenagers to simply switch the setting off significantly weakens the policy. Conservative Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott criticised the proposal, saying: “This is a dog’s dinner.”
She argued that a curfew which users can disable themselves risks becoming ineffective almost immediately. Some digital policy experts have echoed similar concerns, suggesting that determined teenagers are unlikely to leave restrictions enabled if they wish to continue using social media overnight.
The proposal follows years of growing concern over children’s online safety and the role technology companies play in designing addictive digital experiences.
Government officials say excessive late-night social media use has become increasingly common among teenagers.
While technology itself is not viewed as inherently harmful, ministers argue that platform design encourages habits that many teenagers struggle to control.
The UK joins several countries that are reconsidering how social media platforms should operate for younger users.
Governments across Europe, Australia and parts of the United States have introduced or proposed stricter age-verification systems, parental controls and limits on children’s access to social media.
The government intends to introduce the legislation to Parliament before the end of 2026. If lawmakers approve the proposal, the overnight social media curfew is expected to take effect in spring 2027.
Technology companies would then be required to implement the default settings across eligible accounts.
Until then, ministers are expected to continue consulting technology firms, child safety organisations, parents and educators before finalising the legislation.
