UK government introduces default midnight curfew for teenage social media use

The UK government has announced a plan to block social media for 16- and 17-year-olds between midnight and 6am. The rule will start in spring and will apply to platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube. It will be switched on by default, so teenagers will need to turn it off themselves if they want access during those hours. The government says late-night social media use is harming young people's sleep. Last month, it announced a separate ban on social media for children under 16. This new curfew extends that policy to older teenagers. Officials say they want to encourage young people to follow the overnight limit, rather than force them to.