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March 25, 2026
News

Social media bans and digital curfews to be trialled on UK teenagers

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ocial media bans, digital curfews and time limits on apps are to be trialled in the homes of hundreds of UK teenagers.

The test, led by the UK government, will see 300 teens have their social apps disabled entirely, blocked overnight or capped to one hour's use - with some also seeing no such changes at all - in order to compare their experiences.

It will run alongside the government's consultation asking whether the UK should follow in Australia's footsteps by making it illegal for under-16s to have access to many social media sites.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said it was about "testing different options in the real world".

"These pilots will give us the evidence we need to take the next steps, informed by the experiences of families themselves," she added.

Children and parents involved in the trial will be interviewed before and after the pilot scheme to assess its impact.

Meanwhile, the government's consultation about banning social media for children will continue to run until 26 May.

Read the full article on BBC.

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