The National Union of Teachers in the UK has called on the government to legislate a ban on social media for those under 16. The union believes this will improve focus in schools and stop harm to children's mental health. This call follows a survey of 5,800 teachers, which found that 81% reported an increase in pupils showing violent and abusive behavior. Nearly three-fifths (59%) of the same survey participants believe social media is a key driver behind the behavioral decline. This comes after the head of the schools' watchdog, Ofsted, raised concerns at the end of last year that social media is 'eroding' children's ability to pay attention and fuels disrespectful behavior. The union's general secretary, Matt Wrack, stated that teachers 'deal daily with the fallout from a social media landscape that was never designed for or suitable for children'. He added that 'social media companies have long proved they will not act responsibly unless forced to'. 'If we are serious about protecting children, protecting their mental health, and tackling the behavior crisis in our schools, then a legal ban for under-16s must be introduced urgently,' he emphasized. This call comes after a similar ban for under-16s came into effect in Australia last month. The UK teachers' union wants the government to pass a law forcing major tech platforms to prevent children from accessing their sites. The union also stated that 'there is growing evidence that unregulated access to social media leads to worse behavior in schools, as well as harming young people's mental health and exposing them to violent and sexually explicit content'.
