general
UK pilots social media limits for under-16s with 300 families
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology will run a six-week trial testing parental controls, time limits and night curfews, and combine results with a public consultation and larger studies to decide whether to restrict under-16s access to social media.
Mar 26th 2026 ยท United Kingdom
Insights
- DSIT will recruit 300 families into four groups for a six-week pilot.
- Groups will test parental controls, a one-hour daily limit, and a 9pm to 7am curfew while a control group continues as normal.
- Researchers will interview parents and children before and after the pilot to measure impacts on family life, sleep and schoolwork.
- Findings will be assessed alongside nearly 30,000 consultation responses and larger studies, including a Wellcome Trust funded 4,000-student study in Bradford.
- The pilot will inform government consideration of restricting under-16s access after parliamentary pressure and international examples.
- Apple will introduce UK age checks for some account features requiring payment details or ID, a move welcomed by Ofcom.