Responding to the announcement limiting access to social media for under 16s, Matt Wrack, NASUWT General Secretary, said:
"Teachers see every day the impact that unregulated social media, addictive design features and harmful online content have on children’s wellbeing, behaviour and ability to learn.
"This announcement recognises the seriousness of those risks and reflects concerns the NASUWT has been campaigning on.
“However, a ban on social media for under‑16s will only be effective if it is workable and properly enforced. Schools cannot be left to police the online world or carry responsibility for failures by tech companies.
"We must also recognise that for many young people social media can be a space for creativity, identity and opportunity, including in music, the arts and even activism. Any regulatory model must recognise this complexity rather than treating all online activity as inherently harmful.
“We welcome the commitment to stronger age‑assurance requirements and tougher enforcement. But the Government must now engage fully with the profession, parents and young people to ensure these proposals are deliverable.
"Clear guidance, proper consultation and sustained investment in digital safeguarding are essential. The Government must also support a serious discussion to address the role of the tech companies making huge profits from promoting divisive, racist and misogynistic material.
"The problem is not children or schools, the problem is the design choices made by tech companies who have often prioritised engagement and views over protecting children and their wellbeing."
