"Midnight Switch-Off": Emergency for Teens Scrolling Shorts All Night as UK Introduces Tough 'Digital Curfew'

The UK Bans SNS Use for Those Under 16
Series of New SNS Regulations Announced

Following the United Kingdom's decision to impose a comprehensive ban on social networking services (SNS) for those under 16, the country is now pursuing a policy that would restrict usage of SNS by 16- and 17-year-olds during late-night hours.

Default Block on SNS from Midnight to 6 a.m.

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According to foreign media such as the Associated Press on July 15 (local time), the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology announced that, as part of additional measures to protect teenagers from harmful online environments and support parents, access to SNS platforms for 16- and 17-year-olds would be set to be blocked by default from midnight to 6 a.m.

This is not a blanket overnight ban; rather, it means the restriction will be enabled by default. Thus, users are expected to have the option to disable the ‘curfew’ function if they wish.

The government also plans to ensure that features such as ‘infinite scroll’—including feeds that serve up endless autoplay videos or personalized content—are defaulted to off.

This measure follows last month’s government announcement of policies to bar anyone under 16 from using SNS platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube. The government aims to complete the legislative process within this year and implement the policy by next spring.

"SNS Has More Harms Than Benefits"... Support for Minimum Age of 16

The motivation for this regulatory drive appears to be rooted in widespread concerns over the negative effects of SNS on teenagers. When the UK government collected public opinions on restricting social media use among teenagers, they received 116,000 submissions—second only to the 2012 consultation on same-sex marriage. Among responding parents, 83 percent said the risks of SNS for children outweigh the benefits, while 91 percent supported a minimum age requirement of 16.

Liz Kendall, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, stated, “The feedback shows a clear message from both parents and teenagers: even at 16, when independence grows, there is still a need to protect young people from the most addictive and potentially harmful online features. This will help young people get the sleep they need, focus on their studies, and spend more quality time with family and friends.”

However, some critics question the effectiveness of the policy if teenagers can simply turn off the restriction. Ellen, who lost a child to an online challenge, told the BBC, “If it’s as easy as switching the feature off, that’s not enough. It’s like handing a bottle of alcohol to a 17-year-old and just moving it slightly out of reach—it can simply be taken back at any time.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.