The Government has announced plans to introduce voluntary social media curfews for teenagers, which one minister has said will make Britain the safest place for children to be online.
Plans unveiled on Wednesday will see 16 and 17-year-olds prevented from accessing social media sites between midnight and 6am by default.
The measures, announced by Technology Secretary Liz Kendall, will see addictive features such as auto-scrolling and algorithmic feeds turned off.
However, critics have described the plans as a “dog’s dinner”, and have said that curfews that teenagers can simply switch off won’t achieve anything.
The move comes on top of the social media ban for under-16s announced by Sir Keir Starmer last month.
Online safety minister Kanishka Narayan said the plans show the UK is “firmly on the side of” parents and families.
He told Times Radio: “The big thing I’d say is this is part of an overall package that means Britain is now the safest place for young people in their experiences online.”
Mr Narayan defended the plans from critics who questioned their effectiveness given teenagers will be able to turn off features such as curfews, saying trials suggest 90% of them would not.
Families who took part in a Government pilot involving more than 300 teenagers and parents across the UK reported that overnight curfews helped improve sleep and concentration, according to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).
Mr Narayan argued that the voluntary nature of the restrictions would help “empower” teenagers and avoid a “cliff edge” after children turn 16,
He told Sky News: “The evidence base is clear, the motivation is very clear and I wouldn’t do the disservice to teenagers of saying they’re all going to switch it off.”
DSIT said that the proposals also include requiring under-18s to take regular breaks while using chatbots, and a crackdown on AI services that provide “dangerous, misleading or unverified mental health advice”, with ministers considering banning chatbots which pose a serious threat to children.
New guidance for children, parents and guardians on safe AI use will be published, and media literacy teaching will be strengthened in schools from September.
Children’s Commissioner for England Dame Rachel de Souza welcomed Wednesday’s announcements as “a positive step” that responds to young people’s demand for more protection online.
She said: “Young people tell me they try to cut down social media use but find it hard – so restrictions on infinite-scrolling are welcome.
“I want to know more about how the policies, such as a curfew, will be delivered and will be watching closely to make sure they are effective – alongside pushing Ofcom to make full use of its powers to make the online world safer for children.”
The Conservatives described the plans as a “dog’s dinner” and called for a focus on banning social media for under-16s.
Shadow education secretary Laura Trott said: “Either they think 16 and 17-year-olds should be on social media or they don’t, but curfews they can simply switch off won’t achieve anything.
“Giving 16-year-olds the vote while putting them under a social media curfew makes no sense.
“They’re also rolling out AI tutors in schools for the most disadvantaged while announcing more lessons on dealing with dangers of AI chatbots.”
NSPCC chief executive Chris Sherwood said the proposals go “some way” to improving young people’s online experience, but they will not be enough on their own.
He said: “Unless they’re followed up with further, stronger measures, they will be a sticking plaster that fails to address the addictive design features which are driving high screentime and undermining children’s wellbeing.”
