UK Government Considers Social Media Curfews for Children Under 16

The UK government is considering introducing social media curfews for children under 16, inspired by TikTok’s 10pm restriction for younger users. Technology Secretary Peter Kyle emphasized he is exploring options for empowering parents to set time limits and is cautious about implementing measures without robust supporting evidence. These potential curfews come amid heightened concerns over social media’s impact on sleep, schooling, and family life, as well as rising threats such as AI-generated sexual abuse content and online exploitation reported by the Internet Watch Foundation. Kyle described Ofcom's newly published Children’s Code under the Online Safety Act as a 'sea change,' requiring platforms to adopt stronger protections, including robust age verification for harmful content. While seeking enforcement options, Kyle stressed the importance of balancing government intervention with parental flexibility. He has also clarified that the UK does not plan to impose an Australia-style blanket ban on under-16s using social media, instead favoring parental discretion within a framework of government-set safety backstops.