UK to Require Social Media Default Curfew for Ages 16-17 and Ban Under-16 Access Starting 2027

Wired reported Tuesday. The automatic curfew can be turned off by individual users. The restriction will accompany a total ban on children under 16 accessing platforms such as TikTok and YouTube, expected to take effect in spring 2027.

The government will also direct companies to switch off features including automatic video playback and continuously personalized feeds by default for older teenagers, though users will retain the ability to override those settings. The first full set of social media regulations will be presented to Parliament later this year and will take effect in 2027.

UK Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said the measures aim to help young people obtain adequate sleep, focus on education, and spend time with family.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology signaled plans for further rules on artificial intelligence, including mandated breaks from chatbots for those under 18. Children under 18 are already scheduled to be blocked from AI platforms that simulate romantic conversations.

Regulators will address services offering dangerous or unverified mental health advice, with the possibility of outright bans for chatbots deemed a serious threat.

The government also intends to update school curricula to improve media literacy on topics including AI, technological bias, mis- and disinformation, and identification of violent or misogynist content. About nine in 10 parents support a legal minimum age of access for social media services, according to UK government findings.