2026-03-02 14:16:37

Youngsters could soon be forced offline at bedtime under tough new UK Government plans to curb social media use.

Ministers are considering overnight curfews for children as part of a sweeping crackdown on screen time, amid growing fears about sleep disruption, poor concentration and spiralling mental health problems.

The move comes as millions of parents say they feel locked in a “losing battle” with tech giants over their children’s online habits.

The Whitehall consultation, launching on Monday (02.03.26), will also examine possible restrictions on access to AI chatbots and gaming sites, as well as pressure on tech firms to disable addictive features like autoplay and infinite scrolling.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson is quoted by The Sun newspaper as saying: “No child should feel their world is confined to a screen and the fact that white working-class girls are now among the highest users of social media should concern us all.

“Opportunity should be for every child, whatever their background, but we know that for some children where there isn’t access to clubs, activities or wider experiences, social media and the harmful online world can fill that void.

“That is why we are today launching the world’s most ambitious consultation on children’s online safety – and we want every parent, young person and family to have their say.”

Ministers are also seeking views on whether to introduce an Australia-style ban preventing under-16s from using social media altogether.

Chris Sherwood, chief executive of the NSPCC, said: “The Government was right that the status quo is not working.

“Ultimately, this process can only be judged if it leads to safer, healthier, age-appropriate online lives for children.

“This must include forcing tech companies to keep under-13s off social media, stopping platforms using design tricks and blocking harmful content at the source.”

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall added: “We know parents are grappling with how much screen time their children should have, when they should give them a phone and what they are seeing online.

“This is why we’re asking children and parents to take part in this landmark consultation.”

Pilot schemes with families and teenagers will test the proposed measures before any final decisions are made.

The consultation closes at the end of May, with a Government response expected this summer.

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