The UK government is to trial social media bans, curfews and app time limits in the homes of 300 teenagers, as part of a wider consultation on restricting under-16s’ access to platforms and improving online safety.
The six-week pilot will see families across the UK test different restrictions on teenagers’ social media use, including full bans, overnight curfews and daily limits.
Participants aged 12 to 15 will be split into four groups. One group will have social media apps completely disabled; another will be limited to one hour per day; and a third will be blocked from using apps between 21:00 and 07:00. A fourth group will act as a control and continue using social media as normal.
The government says the trial aims to measure the impact of these restrictions on young people’s sleep, schoolwork and family life, as well as identify any practical challenges, including whether teenagers can bypass controls.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said the initiative is about “testing different options in the real world”, adding that the findings will help to determine future policy.
The pilot runs alongside a national consultation on children’s digital wellbeing, which is exploring whether the UK should follow countries such as Australia in introducing a ban on social media for under-16s. The consultation has already received nearly 30,000 responses and is set to conclude on 26 May.
The proposals have gained political support, but not all experts agree. Some warn that bans could be easily bypassed or push children towards less regulated parts of the internet.
Others argue that responsibility should lie with technology companies to make platforms safer for young users, rather than restricting access altogether.
Children and parents taking part in the trial will be interviewed before and after the pilot, with data analysed by officials and academics to inform future decisions.
The government says the scheme will be supported by a separate large-scale scientific study involving around 4,000 students, aimed at better understanding how reduced social media use affects young people’s wellbeing.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz remains under its control, rejecting U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim of “total control” over t...
One person has been killed and six others injured after an explosion at a petroleum storage facility at the Port of Rotterdam, prompting an investi...
The suspension of two major grain terminals in Russia’s Black Sea port of Novorossiysk could increase pressure on Kazakhstan’s agricult...
Disruption in the Strait of Hormuz has increased the strategic importance of Bab al-Mandab, raising fears that instability in both waterways could trigger a wider global energy and trade crisis.
Flights at Catania airport in Sicily will remain suspended until early Friday as ash from Mount Etna continues to disrupt air travel, following hundreds of cancellations and diversions over the past week.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz remains under its control, rejecting U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim of “total control” over the strategic waterway and insisting it will not reopen until Washington fulfils its commitments under an interim deal.
Iran and the United States remain at loggerheads over efforts to agree a permanent end to the war in the Gulf, according to a senior Iranian source who said there had been no progress in talks to revive the interim deal agreed in June and define a timeframe to implement it.
Russia has accused Ukraine of threatening global grain supplies after recent strikes on Black Sea agricultural infrastructure, while Moscow carried out a new overnight attack on Ukraine’s major Danube port of Izmail.
One person has been killed and six others injured after an explosion at a petroleum storage facility at the Port of Rotterdam, prompting an investigation into the cause.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas met Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday for talks focused on Gaza, Palestinian statehood and regional security.
Taiwan staged military defence drills on Wednesday as China concluded joint naval exercises with Indonesia in waters east of the island.
Washington’s counter-narcotics push is expanding as Colombia’s new conservative government backs deeper security cooperation.
Meta said it had removed more than 750,000 Facebook and Instagram accounts suspected of belonging to Australians under 16, as the country’s internet regulator weighs enforcement action over its teen social media ban.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment