UK Puts Social Media Bans, Curfews to the Test in 300 Family Homes

UK Technology Secretary Kendall says six-week pilots will produce the evidence needed for a national policy.

A 14-year-old boy poses at his home near Gosford as he looks at social media on his mobile phone in New South Wales, Australia, on Oct. 24, 2025. David Gray/AFP via Getty Images

The UK government said on March 25 that it is launching a first-of-its-kind trial to test whether social media bans, time limits, and digital curfews can improve children’s lives.

Six-week pilots running across the UK will involve 300 families to test which measures work in practice before the government decides on a national policy, officials said in a statement.