# UK unveils default overnight social media block for 16 and 17-year-olds

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/uk-government-unveils-plan-for-midnight-social-media-curfew-for-older-teens/
- Published: 2026-07-15T08:23:37+00:00
- Updated: 2026-07-15T14:32:20+00:00
- Original publisher: Deadline
- Original article: https://deadline.com/2026/07/midnight-social-media-curfew-older-teens-uk-government-1236982697/
- Topics: Government, Politics, Trending, UK, Weird & Viral, World

## Key points

- UK plans default midnight-to-6am social media block for older teens
- 16 and 17-year-olds could switch the curfew off
- Move is part of a wider UK online safety crackdown

## Summary

The UK government has formally set out plans for a default overnight social media curfew for 16 and 17-year-olds, under which apps such as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube would be unavailable between midnight and 6am unless teenagers change their settings. Ministers say the measure is meant to help older teenagers sleep better, concentrate on school or college and spend more time offline with family and friends. It matters because the policy is being presented as a first-of-its-kind restriction for this age group in the UK and forms part of a broader effort to tighten online safety rules for children and teenagers.

The curfew would apply by default rather than as a total ban, meaning 16 and 17-year-olds could opt out, which campaigners immediately criticised as a significant loophole. The government also said it plans to curb features it considers addictive, including autoplay and infinite scroll. The proposal follows last month’s announcement of a full ban for under-16s, which ministers said would be legislated later in 2026 and take effect in early 2027; that wider policy has already drawn opposition from major US tech companies, including YouTube.

## Coverage

- [Deadline: UK unveils default overnight social media block for 16 and 17-year-olds](https://deadline.com/2026/07/midnight-social-media-curfew-older-teens-uk-government-1236982697/)
- [BBC Technology: Midnight social media curfew proposed for UK teens aged 16 and 17](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c982857nlrlo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss)

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.