LONDON, UK: Older teenagers in the UK will face an overnight social media curfew under new government plans announced on Wednesday, but critics have dismissed the measure as toothless, pointing out that 16 and 17-year-olds will be able to opt out of the restrictions simply by changing their account settings.
The proposed measures would see apps such as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube set to be unavailable by default for older teens between midnight and 06:00. The government also wants “addictive” features including auto-play and infinite scroll to be disabled by default, arguing that combined with the curfew, the changes will improve teenagers’ focus, sleep quality and family life.
The UK government has announced plans for an overnight social media curfew for teenagers aged 16 and 17. Platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube would be unavailable by default between midnight and 6 AM pic.twitter.com/IBouFUBfff
— Omwamba 🇰🇪 (@omwambaKE) July 15, 2026
However, the opt-out clause has drawn fierce criticism from campaigners and child safety advocates, who argue the policy lacks teeth and fails to address the root causes of online harm.
Like offering alcohol and moving it slightly out of reach
Ellen Roome, who believes her 14-year-old son Jools Sweeney died in an online challenge gone wrong in 2022, said the plan does not go far enough.
“I just think it’s not good enough really just to have a product you can switch off,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “It’s a bit like offering a 17-year-old a bottle of alcohol and then moving it slightly out of arms reach, they can just drag it back in. I really wish they could go stronger and harder on these things.”
Read Also: EU Weighs Social Media Ban for Children
The new plans follow the announcement in June that under-16s in the UK would be banned entirely from a range of platforms, adding to a complex and potentially confusing mix of policies from the government and tech firms intended to keep young people safe online.
UK teens get social media curfew with an off switch
The government plans to block Instagram, TikTok and YouTube for 16–17-yos from midnight to 06:00 by default
Unless teens simply change their account settings to opt out pic.twitter.com/hEkvpXyW2y
— RT Intl (@RT_on_X) July 15, 2026
Measures target parental concerns
Lorna Woods, professor of internet law at Essex University, told she felt the measure was designed to target apprehensions from parents and child safety groups.
“There have been concerns about the way services keep children and young people engaged on their phones for long periods, and that this can impact their sleep, amongst other effects,” she said.
Industry and expert reaction
Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, has previously said it wants age verification to be handled by device manufacturers themselves, rather than the onus being entirely on platforms.
Apple recently introduced such “device level” age checks, meaning anyone using iPhones and iPads with the latest operating software will be asked to verify their ages.
Baroness Kidron, who has strongly campaigned for safety and age assurance measures to be at a device rather than app level, was critical of the government’s approach. Speaking to BBC Breakfast, she said it should not be about “banning children from tech” but “banning tech from putting toxic products in the hands of children”.
Minister defends ‘world-leading’ approach
Online safety minister Kanishka Narayan defended the action, saying on BBC One’s Breakfast programme that the combination of the curfew and limiting auto-play features meant that “Britain is already going to be the most robust place in the world when it comes to regulating” tech companies.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said the measures would be “crucial in helping young people get the sleep they need, focus on school and college, and spend more quality time with family and friends”.
‘Dog’s dinner’ – Opposition slams plans
Laura Trott, the Conservative shadow education secretary, described the plans as a “dog’s dinner”.
“Either they think 16 and 17-year-olds should be on social media or they don’t, but curfews they can simply switch off won’t achieve anything,” she said.
The government said further measures would be aimed at helping children use AI chatbots safely, including by making providers introduce regular breaks for under-18s.
It says it will aim to lay its new proposed measures in front of Parliament by the end of 2026, with the aim that they take effect alongside its social media ban for under-16s next spring.
‘That’s simply not good enough’
Campaigner Baroness Kidron spoke to #BBCBreakfast about government plans for 16 and 17 year olds to face a social media curfew between midnight and 6am on apps such as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube – though they will be able to opt out of it by… pic.twitter.com/6IvzZBtuYn
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) July 15, 2026
Charities and experts cast doubt
Some child safety charities and experts have cast doubt on the effectiveness of a midnight curfew for older UK teens.
“While we welcome these measures for older teens, this latest move is yet another piecemeal set of announcements, not the comprehensive plan for children’s safety that’s required,” said Andy Burrows, chief executive of the Molly Rose Foundation.
Prof Sonia Livingstone, an expert in children’s digital rights at the London School of Economics, warned a curfew could harm vulnerable children by limiting their access to social media when they might need it most.
“If it’s a curfew on companies using push notifications to wake someone up in the night, absolutely have a curfew,” she told the BBC. “But if it’s a curfew that prevents a child in need of support or help or comfort reaching out to trusted sources in the middle of the night, I think that’s quite harmful potentially.”
No action on VPNs
Previous attempts to restrict what young people can see online, for example Australia’s social media ban, have been hampered by VPNs, which can hide the true location of an internet user.
But the government said it would not be taking any action to restrict them in the UK for now, saying they were useful for whistle-blowers, minority groups and family privacy.
It cited findings from research it commissioned which indicated there was little to show VPNs were being used by many children to get around age checks.
Read Also: Britain Announces Sweeping Social Media Ban for Under-16s
‘Not a curfew but a mildly annoying settings prompt’
Social media analyst Matt Navarra said the measure was “not a curfew” but a “mildly annoying settings prompt with a government press release attached”.
“The UK Government is calling this ‘world-leading’ online safety, but with no VPN restrictions, it’s leaving the side door open and putting up a sign asking teens not to use it,” he said.
The government said further measures would be aimed at helping children use AI chatbots safely, including by making providers introduce regular breaks for under-18s. It says it will aim to lay its new proposed measures in front of Parliament by the end of 2026, with the aim that they take effect alongside its social media ban for under-16s next spring.
