A new study reveals that most teenagers intend to switch off the voluntary overnight curfew on social media, which is set to take effect next spring. The polling, conducted by Censuswide for the Online Responsibility Network, found that 84.6% of 16- to 18-year-olds would opt out of the proposed restrictions.
Why Teens Plan to Opt Out
Nearly half of the respondents (45.2%) said they would disable the curfew to stay in touch with family or friends, while 37.2% cited watching online content as their reason. Additionally, 38% of teens already use VPNs daily, and 24% expect to use them to bypass the curfew entirely. VPNs mask a user's location, allowing access to platforms despite UK online safety laws.
Government's Voluntary Approach
The curfew, announced by former Prime Minister Keir Starmer, aims to block 16- and 17-year-olds from accessing social media between midnight and 6am. It is part of broader online safety measures, including restrictions on addictive features like infinite scrolling. The government chose a voluntary approach to balance protection with teenagers' autonomy, but then-Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson indicated the policy could be revised if many teens opted out.
Expert Concerns and Official Response
Leanne Proctor, regulatory lead at the Online Responsibility Network, said the research suggests a curfew is "unlikely to be enough on its own to prevent online harms." She emphasized the need for design-level protections and robust age assurance instead of broad restrictions.
A Government spokesman defended the policy, noting that 64% of 16- to 21-year-olds support restricting children's access at night, and trials showed curfews improved sleep and concentration. The spokesman added that the measures provide "strong protections by default" while allowing older teens to make informed choices.
