Total social media bans for young people are popping up around the world, but a new policy out of the U.K. is taking a different approach for older teenagers.
On Wednesday, July 15, the U.K. government announced social media curfews and content restrictions for 16- and 17-year-olds. It follows last month’s blanket ban on social media for kids under 16, expected to go into effect early next year.
The proposal, put forward by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), would switch off this age group’s access to social media apps from midnight to 6 a.m. daily. It would also have “features that can keep users scrolling for longer” turned off by default. These features include automatically playing videos and personalized content feeds.
“The new protections strike a balance between giving older teenagers greater safeguards online while still allowing them to change their own settings if they wish,” the announcement reads.
Honestly, removing autoplay videos and access to late-night social media? It sounds kind of nice.
The proposal stems from a month-long pilot program of over 300 families with teenagers aged 13- to 17-years old. They tested the effect of a 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew, a 15 minute daily limit, and a total ban. Participants saw mental health benefits, but also described “social and emotional trade-offs,” according to the report, published on Tuesday. A midnight to 6 a.m. option could be a good middle ground.
“Our consultation provided 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 wellbeing,” U.K. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall, stated in Wednesday’s release.
The U.K. government plans to share the new proposal in Parliament by the end of the year and, like the under-16 total ban, put it into effect early next year.
The policies will likely move forward despite the upcoming change in U.K. leadership. Andy Burnham, who is set to take over as prime minister from Keir Starmer next week, supports social media bans for kids under 16.
Alongside the curfews and restrictions, the government also announced plans to improve media literacy education in schools, with topics including disinformation, AI, and bias.
