Older teenagers will face an overnight social media curfew under UK proposals that aim to prevent a “cliff edge” for children gaining access to platforms as they turn 16.
The move is designed to supplement a ban on children using the platforms and it targets the addictive features of social messaging. Both moves were sought by campaigners who say that a ban for under-16s is not sufficient to protect children online.
The default curfews will be switched on for 16 and 17-year olds on social media apps. Features that can keep users scrolling for longer – such as videos that automatically play one after another and feeds that continually serve up personalised content – will also be switched off by default for older teenagers.
The curfew setting is optional and can be switched off by the teenagers at any time.
The proposals will be laid in front of Parliament by the end of the year, with a view to implementing the measures alongside the ban for under-16s, which will come into effect in spring next year.
Other restrictions on live streaming and communication with strangers will also be proposed.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said: "These measures will help ensure there is no cliff edge in protections as young people move into their later teenage years."
Social media platforms have previously hit out at the ban, saying it would push children to unregulated platforms in the dark web. Platforms the UK government has said it would ban include YouTube, Reddit, Instagram, Facebook, X and Snapchat. The full list has not yet been announced.
It is one of Keir Starmer's final acts as prime minister. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said the latest measure was in response to “a clear message from parents and teenagers alike”.
“Even as young people gain greater independence at 16, they should still be protected from the most addictive online features that can have a harmful impact on their well-being,” Ms Kendall said. “We want young people to enjoy the benefits of technology while having the tools to make the online world a place where they can thrive.”
But critics say that giving teenagers the option to switch off the curfew will make the proposed measures ineffective.
Ms Kendall is working on additional measures to help children use AI chatbots safely, including regular breaks for under-18s using chatbots and cracking down on services that “provide dangerous, misleading or unverified mental health advice”.
Campaigners for online safety have been divided over the measures they believe the government should take.
Some have called for outright bans, while others say that the government should do more to force social media companies to remove harmful and dangerous content and to ban personalised algorithms that feed such content to teenagers.
The case for targeting algorithms and harmful content is reinforced by new research accusing YouTube of recommending eating disorder content that breaches its policies.
These include “thinspiration” videos documenting extreme calorie restriction, and subliminal weight-loss videos, according to the Centre for Countering Digital Hate, which published its findings on Tuesday.
Researchers simulated accounts as 13-year-old girls across the US, UK and EU. After viewing an eating disorder video with each account, they analysed 300 recommendations shown in the “Up Next” feed, to find that these harmful videos were still being recommended.
However, harmful eating disorder recommendations fell from, on average, one in three in 2024 to one in nine in 2026 across the three locations.
The decline followed the introduction of the UK’s Online Safety Act and the EU’s Digital Services Act, showing that platforms can reduce these harms when they are required to do so.
“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.
He added that Mr Starmer “leaves office having announced a social media ban without a plan”, meaning that his likely successor Andy Burnham “inherits a series of missed opportunities”.
