Plans have been unveiled for a first-of-its-kind overnight social media curfew for older teens in the UK.

The news follows the full ban for under 16s that was announced last month, the second of its kind, following Australia.

Today, the UK government said apps like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube will become unavailable by default to 16 and 17-year-olds between midnight and 6AM every night. However, older teens will be able to opt out of it by changing their account settings. Campaigners immediately criticized this element of the proposals but UK Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said earlier the measures would 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”.

The government has also updated on plans to stop addictive features such as auto-play and infinite scroll being available, saying – combined with the curfew – the measures will improve teenagers’ lives.

The full social media ban unveiled last month was described as a “world leading action” by outgoing UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, which he said would go further than Australia’s ban.

Starmer has previously said the regulation will be passed later this year and come into force in early 2027, although it will now be up to his successor, Andy Burnham, to make sure it goes through.

The social media ban has been controversial, with American tech giants unsurprisingly reacting with alarm. A YouTube spokesman last month argued that “blanket bans push kids out of curated, supervised, beneficial experiences and towards anonymous, less safe services.”

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