Should There Be Social Media Curfews For Children?

Peter Kyle, the Digital Secretary, spoke out of worry over late scrolling after TikTok began cutting feeds for under 16s at 22:00, an action that was appreciated by many parents and even plays gentle music once the feed freezes, giving kids a clear time for bed.

In an interview with The Telegraph last week, Kyle explained that clear evidence will shape every decision, adding that Ofcom can levy fines of up to 10 % of worldwide turnover against any platform that ignores child safety orders, so corporate boards have a powerful reason to comply.

Academic work compiled by JC Pass reports that 93 % of Gen Z teenagers still browse after “lights out” and that tired pupils record lower marks the next day, a link strong enough for paediatricians to call night scrolling a public health matter.

 

How Could Restrictions Help Young Users?

 

Paediatric sleep doctors state that an automatic shutdown can add precious rest, because phone light keeps the brain alert long past bedtime and a handset that is constantly going off with notifications tempts youngsters to keep checking updates.

Extra sleep lifts mood, memory and immune function, giving pupils sharper attention during early lessons where complex ideas are introduced.

Clinical psychologists see even more benefits, saying that late messages create anxiety through fear of missing out, or “FOMO”… a silent screen after 22:00 gives the mind a pause and cuts exposure to cyberbullying that often becomes more when parents are asleep.

Evidence from a University College London trial backs the theory, as pupils who left social apps 30 minutes before sleeping scored better in mathematics and languages than peers who stared at short videos until their eyelids closed.

 

What Problems Could A Blanket Rule Create?

 

Real world trials abroad show barriers to a blanket schedule, warning lawmakers that technical fixes alone can weaken.

South Korea blocked under 16 gaming from midnight to 06:00, but average sleep grew by just 2 minutes because many youngsters logged in with adult credentials borrowed from family members.

China restricts minors to three gaming hours each weekend and locks social media overnight through face recognition; researchers still record heavy play once teenagers purchase adult accounts, so raw determination often beats biometric gates.

 

 

Age checks depend on honest data, and campaigners fear that virtual private networks, spare handsets or false birthdays will weaken any British curfew; youth charities also doubt the logic of silencing late chats for older teenagers who work together on coursework across time zones.

Families who back flexible tools argue that guidance, digital literacy and default night modes could strike a healthier rhythm than a rigid national switch-off, and Kyle has commissioned new studies on TikTok’s 22:00 setting to measure sleep hours, classroom behaviour and online safety before drafting any law.

 

What Do Experts Think?

 

Jeff Le, Managing Principal at 100 Mile Strategies, commented, “Social media curfews deserve serious consideration for minors under 16 years of age. While there does need to be further study and research about the benefits and challenges of social media for developing minors, there are risks and concerns about growing hours of use for non-adults.

“The United States could serve as an example as to why government action ijn the United Kingdom could be warranted.

“In the United States in 2024, the previous U.S. Surgeon General called for a warning label on social media. While it was not enacted into law by Congress, it showed that there was uneasiness about social media and children.

“Unlike in Europe and the UK, there are also less protections for American children though there is bipartisan legislation through the proposed Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act that would, among other things, revise COPPA’s “actual knowledge” standard to close the loophole that allows platforms to ignore kids and teens on their site and prohibit companies from targeting under 16 users.

“A Yale research study that focused on teens from age 12-15 found that those who engaged with social media for over three hours a day faced twice the potential risk for symptoms of anxiety and potential depression.

“These studies have grown in prominence – to the point where Meta has been working to include safeguards on its Instagram app for more parental controls and a curfew for 10 PM. In addition to this effort, bipartisan efforts across U.S. school have enacted laws to ban smartphones during school hours.

“The UK Government may want to consider similar paths given the risk. There are benefits to social media connection as evidenced by community members who find community online and self-expression safe spaces that they may not have access to in person.

“Parents, especially busy working parents without extended child care do need to rely on degrees of screen time to get through homemaking and dinner preparation. that said, Ofcom did find that almost two-thirds of parents are concerns about the screen time, even if it’s a last resort for parents to manage kid activities.

“What is clear: additional study and deserved public discussions are needed to assess these important tradeoffs for UK families and constituents.”