The UK government has confirmed plans for a new midnight to 6am social media curfew for 16 and 17-year-olds, set to be introduced next spring. Under the Labour Party government, certain apps will have a default block during these hours, but the measure is not mandatory and can be overridden by users.
Details of the Curfew
The curfew is designed to encourage young people to refrain from using social media during late-night hours, aiming to improve sleep and focus on school. However, the block can be switched off, leading to criticism from safety campaigners and political opponents.
Liz Kendall, a Labour minister, stated: “These measures will 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.”
Criticism from Safety Groups
The Molly Rose Foundation, an internet safety campaign group, described the measures as “yet another piecemeal set of announcements, not the comprehensive plan for children’s safety that’s required.” Beeban Kidron, founder of the 5Rights Foundation, said having a default that can be switched off is “for show and headlines, not for children.” She added: “This is not the change that parents asked for, nor experts wanted – it has been cooked up in DSIT for another news round.”
Political Response
Conservative shadow education secretary Laura Trott called the plans a “dog's dinner,” arguing: “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.”
Expert Concerns
Professor Sonia Livingstone, an expert in children's digital rights at the London School of Economics, warned that a curfew could harm vulnerable children by limiting access to support during the night. She told the BBC: “If it's a curfew on companies using push notifications to wake someone up in the night, absolutely have a curfew. 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.”
