One of the UK’s largest teaching unions has called on the government to introduce a statutory ban on social media for under-16s, citing mounting concerns over children’s mental health and concentration. The NASUWT said legislation should be tightened so that technology firms face penalties for allowing young people to access their platforms.
The union pointed to growing evidence that unregulated access to social media is detrimental to children, affecting behaviour in school and harming mental health. It also highlighted exposure to violent and sexually explicit content, noting that the debate had been reignited after Elon Musk’s Grok AI tool was found to be digitally removing clothing from images of women and children.
The NASUWT’s general secretary, Matt Wrack, said teachers deal daily with the fallout of a social media landscape not designed for children. “Social media companies have shown time and again that they will not act responsibly unless they are forced to do so,” he said. “If we are serious about safeguarding children, protecting their mental health and combating the behaviour crisis in our schools, then a statutory ban for under-16s must happen urgently.”
The union’s research, based on a survey of 5,800 members, found that 81% had seen an increase in pupils exhibiting violent and abusive behaviour in the past year. Of those, 59% agreed that social media was a driving force behind deteriorating behaviour. In a separate poll of 300 members, 89% backed a statutory ban for under-16s.
A government spokesperson said it supported headteachers in restricting phone use during the school day and had taken steps through the Online Safety Act to ensure children have age-appropriate experiences online. “We are striking the right balance: protecting children from harm while ensuring they can benefit safely from the digital world,” the spokesperson added.
