# UK Plans Midnight Social Media Curfew for Older Teens

The UK government is proposing a midnight social media curfew for 16- and 17-year-olds as part of broader online safety measures. The non-binding guidance would encourage platforms to block or restrict access for older teens during late hours. This aims to address concerns about sleep disruption and mental health impacts from late-night social media use.

**Importance:** 3/5

## Sources

### World
- [The Guardian World](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/jul/14/uk-16-17-year-olds-midnight-social-media-curfew) — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 21:30:36 GMT
- [The Guardian World](https://www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2026/jul/15/social-media-curfew-for-teens-is-it-pointless-the-latest) — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 16:18:09 GMT
- [Al Jazeera](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/16/uk-proposes-voluntary-overnight-social-media-curfew-for-older-teens?traffic_source=rss) — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 04:57:34 +0000

### Business
- [BBC Business](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c982857nlrlo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss) — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 21:43:56 GMT

### Technology
- [Wired](https://www.wired.com/story/the-uk-is-planning-a-social-media-curfew-for-16-and-17-year-olds/) — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 22:08:30 +0000

### Entertainment
- [Variety](https://variety.com/2026/digital/global/uk-government-social-media-curfew-older-teens-1236811460/) — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 09:00:45 +0000