A recent survey suggests that the majority of teenagers are not in favor of a proposed voluntary overnight social media curfew set to be implemented next spring. According to the findings, 84.6% of 16- to 18-year-olds indicated they would choose to opt out of the planned curfew, which would block access to platforms from midnight to 6 am as part of new online safety measures.
Among the reasons cited for wanting to bypass the curfew, nearly half of respondents (45.2%) mentioned the desire to communicate with family or friends, while over a third (37.2%) expressed the intention to watch online content. Furthermore, the survey revealed that a significant portion of teenagers in this age group (38%) are already using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) in their daily lives, with 24% planning to leverage VPNs to circumvent the curfew restrictions.
The online safety plans, spearheaded by Keir Starmer, include curfews and limitations on addictive design features like infinite scrolling, aimed at safeguarding teenagers as they navigate social media. However, government officials emphasized that these measures will be voluntary, aiming to strike a balance between providing enhanced protections for older teenagers online while still allowing them to manage their settings.
The study also highlighted the social media habits of teenagers, with a sizable portion using social platforms late into the night. Leanne Proctor, regulatory lead at the Online Responsibility Network, cautioned that a curfew alone may not be sufficient to mitigate online risks, suggesting a focus on design-level protections and robust age verification mechanisms instead.
Former Technology Secretary Liz Kendall, who was succeeded by Andy Burnham, outlined additional restrictions such as disabling infinite scrolling, implementing overnight curfews, and turning off autoplay videos and personalized content feeds for 16 and 17-year-olds by default.
While some advocate for a blanket social media ban to address escalating online harms, others believe it could create a false sense of security, potentially driving teenagers toward riskier online spaces. The government stance emphasizes providing default protections while empowering teenagers to make informed decisions about their social media usage.
Government data revealed that a majority of young people support restrictions on certain apps at night, with trials showing that overnight curfews can positively impact sleep and concentration. Overall, the findings underscore the need for a nuanced approach to online safety, focusing on tailored protections and informed decision-making for young users.
A recent survey conducted by Censuswide polled 1,000 16- to 18-year-olds on behalf of the Online Responsibility Network between July 21-27.