The UK government is considering introducing tougher online safety measures to limit the amount of time children can spend on social media, the BBC reports, writes UNN.
Details
Proposals include a two-hour limit on the use of individual social media apps and a 10pm curfew, as first reported by the Sunday People and Mirror.
Speaking on the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg programme on Sunday, the country's technology minister, Peter Kyle, said he was looking at "addiction to some apps and smartphones" when asked whether time limits would be considered.
He said he was looking closely at what the government needed to do next to "strengthen security measures", "understand what a healthy online life looks like for children" and "remove barriers" to it.
Addition
Curfews, as well as limits on the use of apps and devices in general, are already available to parents using parental controls from Apple or Google.
In 2023, TikTok introduced a default 60-minute time limit for those under the age of 18, although it can be turned off. Instagram offers users of all ages to set their own limit, after which they can choose to block until the end of the day.
One potential problem with the idea of introducing legal restrictions for children on social media is that the vast majority of tech firms are based in the US.
The Trump administration has been highly critical of foreign governments trying to regulate its technology businesses and punish them for non-compliance.
In 2021, China introduced strict restrictions on online games, limiting players under the age of 18 to one hour a day only on Fridays, weekends and holidays. This replaced previous limits of 90 minutes per day, increasing to three hours during holidays. The country has expressed concern about the impact of "excessive" games on young people.
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