Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government is taking to ensure young people are being appropriately educated on safe use of social media to prevent violent language and violent acts becoming the norm in society.

From September 2020, relationships education will be compulsory for all primary aged pupils, Relationships and Sex Education will be compulsory for all secondary aged pupils and Health Education will be compulsory in all state-funded schools in England. Through these new subjects, teachers will address online safety and appropriate behaviour in an age appropriate way. The guidance is clear that violence is never acceptable. The guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.

This will complement the computing curriculum, which covers the principles of online safety at all key stages, with progression in the content to reflect the different and escalating risks that pupils face. This includes how to use technology safely, responsibly, respectfully and securely, and where to go for help and support when they have concerns about content or contact on the internet or other online technologies.

There are other curriculum subjects which include content relevant to teaching pupils how to use the internet safely. For example, citizenship education covers media literacy, distinguishing fact from opinion, and the role and responsibility of the media in informing and shaping public opinion.

The Department has also published non-statutory guidance, ‘Teaching Online Safety’ in schools. This outlines how schools can ensure their pupils understand how to stay safe and behave online, as part of these existing curriculum requirements. The guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teaching-online-safety-in-schools.