The United Kingdom is advancing its regulatory approach to social media use among youth by proposing a curfew for 16- and 17-year-olds. On Wednesday, July 16th, 2026, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology announced a proposal to impose default overnight curfews on social media apps from midnight to 6 a.m. This measure would also disable features that deliver personalized content to these older teenagers by default.

These proposed regulations are designed to extend protections beyond the existing social media ban for children under 16, aiming to "help ensure there is no cliff edge in protections as young people move into their later teenage years," according to a government press release. However, unlike the ban, 16- and 17-year-olds would have the option to opt out of the curfew by adjusting their account settings.

The regulations still require legislation by Parliament and are expected to be enforced starting next spring. The announcement has sparked debate, with some pointing out the inconsistency between the curfew and the legal rights of 16-year-olds in the U.K., who can consent to sex, drink alcohol in restaurants with an adult, and join the Royal Navy. In Scotland, 16-year-olds can legally move out, marry, work full time, leave education, and enlist, yet face these new social media restrictions. One Scottish teen told The Guardian, "In Scotland, at 16, you can legally move out, get married, work full time, leave education, and enlist, but can't be on your phone when you want."

Critics have also questioned the effectiveness of the policy, with some describing it as potentially absurd and unlikely to achieve its stated goals. The U.K. government is also considering additional online safety measures alongside the curfew.

The proposal reflects ongoing concerns about misinformation and disinformation online, terms that have been used in various countries, including the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic, to justify speech regulation.

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