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.
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