Britain will introduce a voluntary overnight social media curfew for 16- and 17-year-olds, with default settings blocking access from midnight to 06:00, Technology Secretary Liz Kendall announced. The measure extends an under-16 social media ban revealed last month and forms part of a broader regulatory push ahead of the Makerfield by-election.
Under the proposals, algorithmic feeds and infinite scrolling will be disabled by default for older teenagers, while under-18s would be required to take regular breaks when using AI chatbots. A government pilot of more than 300 teenagers found that overnight curfews improved sleep and concentration.
The first regulatory package is expected before Parliament by the end of 2026, with measures taking effect in spring 2027 alongside the under-16 ban.