UK to introduce voluntary social media curfew for 16-17 year-olds, no VPN ban

The UK government is proposing a voluntary midnight to 6am social media curfew for 16 and 17 year-olds. The curfew, launching next spring, is part of an initiative to protect young people from online harms and sleep deprivation. It extends a previously announced under-16 social media ban on platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X. 

Under the plans, highly addictive features like autoplay and personalised feeds will also be disabled by default for older teenagers, though these restrictions can be bypassed. Under-18s using AI chatbots will also be encouraged to take regular breaks. However, virtual private networks (VPNs) will not be restricted due to free speech concerns, and the fact that very few teenagers appear to use them to bypass age restrictions. 

New research commissioned by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) found curfews were the most manageable restriction, resulting in improved sleep, better focus, and more family time, despite initial feelings of isolation and irritability among participants. 

In related news, the Open Rights Group has published an open letter calling for the government to protect VPNs. Signed by 24 civil liberties groups, including Amnesty International and Big Brother Watch, the letter argues that "restricting VPNs would undercut the security and privacy of millions, without making children safer. Age-gating VPNs would require everyone to surrender sensitive personal information simply to access tools designed to protect privacy." 

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