Midnight social media curfew for 16 and 17 year olds under new government online safety crackdown
The historic restriction will be rolled out from Spring next year to ensure that older teens do not fall off the 'cliff-edge' of online harms
Tech giants will be forced to switch on nighttime curfews for 16 and 17-year-olds by default - under sweeping new rules to curb social media's most addictive features.
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This comes as part of the government's efforts to support parents and protect children from the dangers of digital platforms once they turn 16.
The measures to be rolled out include an overnight curfew between midnight and 6am, which will be switched on by default for 16- and 17-year-olds.
Social media’s most addictive features will also be curbed for older teenagers, including infinite scroll, which allows videos to automatically play after one another, as well as personalised news feeds.
The historic crackdown will be rolled out from spring next year to ensure that children do not fall off the cliff-edge of online harm when they transition to later teen years.
Read more: Whoever takes Number 10, children’s online safety must come first
LBC understands that incoming Prime Minister Andy Burnham reiterated that he supported the social ban and measures put in place by the outgoing government during a meeting with the PLP on Monday night.
The protections have been designed to strike a balance between creating safeguards for older teens whilst still giving them the autonomy to change their settings themselves if they choose to do so.
The overnight curfew follows a once-in-a-generation pilot in which 300 teenagers and parents across the UK found that the measures boosted sleep, concentration and quickly became part of their routine.
Alongside social media restrictions, the government looks to curb the dangers of AI chatbots on children. To better protect children from the chatbots, regular breaks will be implemented.
AI chatbots which pose serious harm or provide “dangerous, misleading or unverified mental health advice” may still be banned.
It must be right that we put limits on what our children are exposed to.'
— LBC (@LBC) July 13, 2026
@Miatsf says Labour's social media ban might just become Keir Starmer's legacy, and she's 'immensely proud of it'. pic.twitter.com/QwpJoyb1vI
The sweeping social media ban was announced by Sir Keir Starmer last month, which he hailed as a "big moment for our country" and an opportunity to "call time on a system that's failing our kids and take bold action to give every child the best possible start in life".
The former prime minister told LBC that as a parent himself, he understands the personal impact of social media’s grip on young people and feels "those same worries that millions of parents do."
“Like them, I want to know that when my kids pick up their phones, they’re not being exposed to things that can harm them, or glued to their screens by addictive design," he said.
In June, Sir Keir Starmer vowed to “take further measures” to “protect children and young people” as calls grow for the Government to ban social media ban for under 16s.
He told LBC's Natasha Clark, “nobody is getting a free pass” as he pledged to take on big tech firms.
New guidance for children, parents and guardians on how to use AI safely will also be published by the government. Media literacy skills will also be adopted by schools through new RSHE (Relationships, Sex, and Health Education) classes.
The National Curriculum will be updated to include education on how children should navigate new types of technology, including AI and chatbots, as well as how to identify mis- and disinformation and violent and misogynistic content.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson rejected claims the government was afraid of tech giants and insisted they "will always act in the interests of children and families".
She told LBC's Shelagh Fogarty: "It's not a question of whether there is further action here. It's what that action looks like. And that's why we've got a consultation that's underway."
Ms Phillipson said that a key part of the government consultation ahead of the rollout was listening to a range of views on how best to achieve a safe online environment for young people.
She added: "There are a range of views as to how we, how you do that, how you achieve the kind of safety that you're talking about and making sure not just that young people are not exposed to hateful or inappropriate material online.
"And we are being tougher with the tech giants about that material, about taking it down."
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said the new measures emphasised the importance of giving older teenagers greater independence as they enter their later teen years.
“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,” she said.
“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, all of which are fundamental to building a happy, healthy and fulfilling adult life.
“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.”