UK proposes default midnight social media curfews for 16 and 17 year olds

Sawdah Bhaimiya at CNBC first reported the proposals, published by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on Wednesday. Social media apps would switch on an overnight curfew from midnight to 6am by default for 16 and 17 year olds, and would turn off features including autoplay and continuously personalised feeds. Users can change the settings themselves. The government expects the measures to take effect by spring 2027, following its ban on social media services for under-16s from spring next year. A government pilot ran for a month and involved more than 300 teenagers and parents. Families reported better sleep and concentration. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said the department is also examining mandatory breaks for under-18s on AI services and limits on chatbots offering mental health advice.