The new element is that the UK government has now formally unveiled a default overnight social media curfew for 16 and 17-year-olds, rather than only outlining a broader crackdown on teen social media use. Under the plan, apps such as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube would be blocked by default from midnight to 6am, with ministers arguing this would help teenagers sleep better, concentrate on education and spend more time offline. It matters because the measure is being presented as a first-of-its-kind restriction for older teens in the UK and forms part of a wider push for tighter online safety rules.

The curfew would still be optional in practice, because older teenagers could switch it off in their account settings, prompting immediate criticism from campaigners who see that as a major weakness. The government also said it wants to restrict features seen as addictive, including autoplay and infinite scroll, and claims the combined package would improve teenagers’ wellbeing. This follows last month’s announcement of a full social media ban for under-16s, which ministers said would be legislated later in 2026 and take effect in early 2027; the article adds that responsibility for carrying it through now falls to Prime Minister Andy Burnham, while tech companies such as YouTube have warned blanket bans could drive children towards less safe services.