Midnight social media curfew proposed for UK 16 and 17 year olds sparks fierce backlash

A new UK proposal to introduce a default overnight social media curfew for 16 and 17 year olds has ignited fierce debate online, with critics calling the plan unrealistic while supporters argue it could help tackle excessive late night scrolling and improve young people's wellbeing.

Unlike the previously announced ban targeting children under 16, the latest proposal focuses specifically on older teenagers. Rather than preventing them from using social media altogether, the plan would automatically switch off access to platforms including Instagram, TikTok and YouTube between midnight and 6am by default. Teenagers would still be able to disable the restriction by changing their settings.

The proposal has quickly divided opinion. Many critics questioned how effective an opt out curfew would be, arguing that teenagers determined to stay online could simply switch the setting off. Others described the measure as a symbolic gesture rather than a meaningful solution, while some questioned whether 16 and 17 year olds, who are trusted with increasing levels of independence, should face government backed limits on when they can access social media.

Supporters, however, welcomed the move as a practical step towards healthier online habits. They argued that endless scrolling late at night has become a growing problem for teenagers, affecting sleep, concentration and mental health. Government ministers say the proposal is intended to encourage healthier routines rather than impose an outright ban.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said the overnight curfew, alongside new safeguards, would help young people "get the sleep they need, focus on school and college, and spend more quality time with family and friends." The government also plans to disable features such as infinite scrolling by default for 16 and 17 year olds and introduce measures encouraging breaks while using AI chatbots.

The proposal builds on the UK's wider online safety reforms announced last month. Those measures would ban social media access entirely for children under 16 on platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, YouTube and X, while messaging services such as WhatsApp and Signal would remain unaffected. The newly proposed curfew is separate from that ban and applies only to 16 and 17 year olds.

Government backed pilot programmes found that overnight restrictions led many participants to go to bed earlier, sleep better, feel more focused in school and spend additional time with family. At the same time, some teenagers reported feeling temporarily disconnected from friends and frustrated during the adjustment period.

The first regulations are expected to be introduced in Parliament later this year, with the curfew and wider online safety measures targeted for implementation in spring 2027 if approved.