UK proposes midnight curfew and scroll limits for 16-17 year olds
The British government plans to impose a default midnight to 12 a.m. curfew and disable infinite scrolling for 16-17-year-old social-media users, with implementation expected by spring 2027.
The United Kingdom announced on Wednesday a set of default restrictions for 16- and 17-year-old users of social-media platforms. Under the proposal, access would be blocked between midnight and 12 a.m., and features such as infinite scrolling and autoplay would be turned off unless the teenager opts out. The rules are slated to take effect by spring 2027.
The measures follow a month-long trial involving more than 300 teenagers and their parents, which tested three interventions: a daily 15-minute usage limit, an overnight curfew from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m., and the removal of specific apps. Participants reported improvements in sleep, mood, stress levels and daytime energy, though they also noted reduced ability to interact with peers who were not subject to the restrictions. The overnight curfew received the most support as a compromise between health benefits and social needs.
In June, the outgoing prime minister announced a broader ban on social-media accounts for users under 16, mirroring a similar policy recently adopted in Australia. The proposed restrictions would apply to platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and X.
Tech companies are facing heightened regulatory pressure worldwide. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc will advance age-based limits on social-media use. TikTok’s director of public policy for Northern Europe, Ali Law, said the platform already offers more than 50 preset safety settings for users under 16, such as a one-hour screen-time limit and a 10 p.m. break reminder, describing them as “little nudges” to promote a balanced relationship with the app.