UK: UK to impose midnight social media curfew on 16- and 17-year-olds.

Shotlist FILE: London, UK - Aug 5, 2024 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland) 1. UK national flag atop building London, UK - May 1, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland) 2. Various of Palace of Westminster, pedestrians Edinburgh, UK - Recent (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland) 3. Various of riders, traffic FILE: USA - Exact Date and Location Unknown (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland) 4. Various of social media site web pages on computer screen 5. Various of social media on cellphone, hands navigating through social media apps on phone, scrolling through various pages FILE: San Francisco, USA - 2023 (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland) 6. Smartphone screen showing Threads app UK - Recent (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland) 7. Various of people walking in outdoor area FILE: London, UK - July 4-5, 2024 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland) 8. Various of cityscape, traffic 9. UK national flag Storyline The British government announced on Tuesday that it would impose a midnight curfew on the use of social media by teenagers aged 16 and 17. The new restriction came following the government's announcement in June that it would ban people under the age of 16 from using a range of social media applications. According to a UK government statement, by default, 16- and 17-year-olds are prohibited from using social media between midnight and 06:00. Furthermore, features intended to encourage users to spend more time browsing, including automatic continuous video playback and personalized content recommendations, will also be disabled by default. The government has not yet specified which social media platforms are included in this ban. In the statement, UK Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Liz Kendall said that while teenagers gain greater independence after turning 16, they should still be protected from the negative effects of highly addictive online features that can harm their physical and mental health. The bill is scheduled to be submitted to parliament for review before the end of 2026, and the relevant measures are expected to be implemented as early as spring 2027.