Plans by the Labour party to implement overnight social media curfews for 16 and 17-year-olds have been met with skepticism, as a new survey suggests most teenagers would simply bypass the restrictions. The proposed measures, announced last month, would enforce a curfew from midnight to 6 a.m. on social media platforms and require tech companies to deactivate features deemed 'addictive,' such as autoplay videos and algorithm-driven feeds.
However, it emerged that young people would have the ability to override these settings. A poll conducted by Censuswide found that 79% of 17-year-olds and 72% of 16-year-olds surveyed indicated they would opt out of the curfews and feature blocks. Among 17-year-olds, 32% cited a desire to watch more online content at night, and 43% stated they would do so to communicate with family or friends. Similar motivations were reported by 16-year-olds, with 32% wanting to watch more content and 35% wanting to message loved ones.
The survey also revealed that a small fraction of teenagers currently stop using social media before 9 p.m. on a typical school night. Over 40% reported continuing to scroll until 11 p.m., more than a quarter until 1 a.m., and over 10% past 1 a.m.
Critics, including MPs and campaigners, argued that the reforms do not go far enough to protect young people from online harms. Andy Burrows, chief executive of the Molly Rose Foundation, described the announcement as "piecemeal and poorly thought out." He urged for a more comprehensive plan to ensure children's safety online, enabling them to benefit from technology rather than be harmed by it.
Conservative MP Neil O'Brien suggested that voluntary rules are ineffective and that Labour does not grasp the need for more substantial changes. He proposed restricting social media access for those under 16 and placing legal responsibility on companies rather than children. Liberal Democrat MP Martin Wrigley advocated for treating social media companies as publishers, holding them accountable for the content they promote.
In June, a proposal was announced to ban children under 16 from major social media platforms. The subsequent curfew plan for older teenagers was intended to prevent a 'cliff edge' in access. However, campaigners had previously warned that the effectiveness of curfews and feature blocks would be diminished if teenagers could easily opt out.
A government spokesperson stated that young people would have choices in navigating social media. The spokesperson noted that 64% of young people aged 16 to 21 supported restricting children's access to certain apps at night in a national poll. Trials, they added, found that overnight curfews became part of daily routines and improved sleep and concentration. The current approach provides default protections while allowing 16 and 17-year-olds to decide if these protections suit their circumstances, recognizing their capacity for informed decisions.
The Censuswide survey included nearly 300 individuals aged 16 and 17, conducted between July 21 and July 27.