Thousands of school children face social media curfew in UK trial

NHS and Cambridge researchers will run a world-first six-week trial limiting about 4,000 12–15-year-olds to one hour of social media a day and blocking access between 9pm and 7am. The study will compare anxiety, depression and sleep with peers who use social media as usual, and it accompanies a government consultation on whether to limit social media access for under-16s.

Researchers from the NHS and the University of Cambridge are launching a world-first trial that will impose a social media curfew for thousands of schoolchildren. About 4,000 12 to 15-year-olds in Bradford will be limited to one hour of social media a day and blocked from platforms between 9pm and 7am for around six weeks. The study will compare participants' anxiety, depression and sleep with those of peers who use social media as usual. The trial is reported to be independent and was funded before the government's consultation announcement. Key details: - Trial limits: about 4,000 participants aged 12–15, one hour of social media per day and blocked between 9pm and 7am. - Location and duration: Bradford, approximately six weeks. - Measures: researchers will track anxiety, depression and sleep and compare results with a control group that continues usual social media use. - Research setup: a study app will be installed to restrict access to platforms such as TikTok, YouTube and Instagram; researchers say the study was funded before the government consultation was announced. - Government context: ministers have launched a three-month consultation on possible measures, including a ban for under-16s, night-time curfews, app time limits and design restrictions, with a response expected by summer; more than 60 Labour MPs have publicly called for an Australia-style ban. Summary: The trial is designed to provide experimental evidence about whether reducing time and imposing night-time curfews affects mental health measures in young teenagers. The government consultation will review a range of options for protecting children online and is due to conclude with a response by the summer. Undetermined at this time whether the trial findings will affect immediate policy decisions.