Ban social media for under-16s, top teaching union urges UK government

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 2 min read 100% complete by Geraldine McKelvieJanuary 11, 2026 at 01:01 AM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

The UK's NASUWT teaching union is urging the government to ban social media for under-16s due to concerns about mental health, concentration, and exposure to harmful content. The union cites increasing evidence of detrimental effects on children's behavior and well-being, with teachers reporting a rise in violent and abusive behavior among students. They propose tightening legislation to penalize tech companies that allow underage access to their platforms. This call to action follows the emergence of concerns about AI tools and mirrors a similar ban recently implemented in Australia. NASUWT argues that social media companies have failed to act responsibly and a statutory ban is urgently needed to safeguard children.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Australia 40% Elon Musk 50% Ofsted 50% Matt Wrack ×260% UK 70% NASUWT ×490%

Keywords

social media ban 100% under-16s 90% mental health 80% online safety 70% child safeguarding 60% teacher's union 60% behaviour crisis 50% violent content 40% school behaviour 40%