ASCL President Manny Botwe will today (Friday 14 March) say it is
time to bring social media platforms to heel as a survey
highlights their impact on children and schools.
The survey conducted by Teacher Tapp on behalf of the Association
of School and College Leaders (ASCL) asked school teachers and
leaders in England what social media-related issues they had
noticed since the start of the academic year in September.
- Nearly three-quarters of secondary school teachers (73%)
reported that students had been bullied by peers on social media.
- Almost half of secondary school teachers (46%) said that
students had recorded teachers or other pupils without
permission.
- Nearly a third of secondary school teachers (30%) noticed
signs of students having accessed pornographic or violent
content.
- Four in ten (43%) teachers – in both primary and secondary
schools – said that parents had made negative comments about
their school or staff online.
- And nearly three-quarters (71%) said students were using
social media below the minimum age requirement.
Speaking to delegates
at the Association of School and College Leaders annual
conference in Liverpool, Mr Botwe will say: “Today's young people
face challenges that are vastly different from those of previous
generations. Their world is shaped by smartphones, social media,
memes, and influencers – forces that shape their identities,
interactions, and even their mental wellbeing.
“This technology has brought incredible benefits, connecting
people across continents, fostering creativity, and expanding
access to knowledge. But as we all know, it has a darker side.
“It leaves a trail of harm – safeguarding concerns, fractured
friendships, bullying, anxiety, and the spread of extremist
ideologies. And increasingly, it is being weaponised against
schools and teachers, with disgruntled parents using it as a
platform to target staff.
“This chaos must end. For too long, tech billionaires have been
given immense power without accountability. They hide behind the
defence that they are champions of free speech while profiting
from platforms that allow harm to fester.
“But enough is enough. It is time to bring these platforms to
heel and force them to police their own spaces. While we welcome
the Online Safety Act we have yet to see its protections come
into force or how effective they prove in practice.
“As a society, we have the right to demand the protection of our
children, the enforcement of decency, and the upholding of
standards.
“That right must be asserted.”
Ends
Mr Botwe's speech can be read here.
In a poll in February, Teacher Tapp asked teachers and school
leaders in England: “Since September, have you noticed any of the
following social media-related issues in your school?” The
results were:
