UK Plans Social Media Curfew for 16- and 17-Year-Olds
The UK's Department for Science, Innovation & Technology announced plans to require social media platforms to default-block users aged 16-17 between midnight and 6 am, as part of broader child online safety measures including a full ban for under-16s expected by spring 2027.
The United Kingdom will require social media companies to implement a default block for adolescent users aged 16 and 17 between midnight and 6 am, the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT) revealed on Tuesday evening. This automatic curfew can be switched off but is enabled by default. The measure accompanies a looming total ban on social media for children under 16, expected to take effect in spring 2027. Both actions stem from the controversial Online Safety Act, which mandates age verification for platforms hosting pornography or other material deemed harmful to minors.
Additionally, the DSIT announced a crackdown on “addictive” features such as autoplaying videos and personalized feeds, which will be turned off by default for older teenagers but can be manually re-enabled. The full set of social media regulations will be presented to Parliament later this year and come into force in 2027.
UK Technology Secretary Liz Kendall stated that the rules are designed to “help ensure there is no cliff edge in protections” as young people age out of the under-16 ban, promoting better sleep, focus on school, and quality time with family. The government also plans AI-specific protections, including mandatory chatbot breaks for under-18s, blocking AI platforms that simulate romantic relationships, and potential bans on chatbots offering dangerous mental health advice. School curricula will be updated to include media literacy, AI bias, and mis/disinformation recognition.
Critics—including the Electronic Frontier Foundation, ACLU, Amnesty International, and GLAAD—argue that age-gating oversimplifies the issue, restricts free speech and access to information, and could be used to censor sex education and LGBTQ resources. Australia, which banned under-16s in December, has seen about 75% of 14- to 15-year-olds circumvent the limit, and the UK, adopting a similar model, may face comparable challenges.
