Hundreds of teens to be banned from social media in UK trial

• The UK government is launching a six-week pilot programme involving 300 teenagers aged 13 to 17 to test various social media restrictions.
• Spearheaded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), the trial will assess the impact of complete bans, one-hour daily caps, and night-time curfews.
• Researchers will monitor how the restrictions affect participants' schoolwork, sleep patterns, and family life to inform future policy decisions on online safety.
• This initiative runs alongside an ongoing government consultation, set to conclude on 26 May, which is exploring a potential Australia-style social media ban for under-16s.
• A separate, larger study led by Professor Amy Orben will also investigate the effects of reduced social media time on the wellbeing of approximately 4,000 pupils in Bradford.

IN FULL

Government to launch trial of social media ban for UK teenagers