In Britain, a social media curfew is being prepared for older teenagers

In the United Kingdom, the government has announced that older teenagers in the country will face a nighttime curfew on social media, although they will be able to opt out by changing their account settings, reports UNN citing the BBC.

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This will mean that apps such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube will be unavailable by default for 16- and 17-year-olds from midnight to 6:00 AM.

The government also wants "addictive" features such as auto-play and infinite scroll to be set to be disabled, saying - combined with the curfew - the measures will improve teenagers' focus, sleep quality and family life.

However, critics have called the proposals "piecemeal" and a "missed opportunity" for ensuring children's safety.

These plans emerged after an announcement in June that individuals under 16 in the UK would be completely banned from using a range of platforms.

UK to introduce social media ban for children under 1615.06.26, 10:50 • 4182 views

"These measures will be crucial in helping young people get the sleep they need, focus on school and college, and spend more time with family and friends, which is fundamental to building a happy, healthy, and fulfilling adult life," said the country's technology minister, Liz Kendall.

"We want young people to enjoy the benefits of technology while having the tools to make the online world a place where they can thrive," she added.