SOCIAL media is fuelling a surge in youth violence, a teaching union warned today.

Gangs are increasingly using posts to glamorise knife crime and terrorise communities, said NASUWT.

Tech giants’ failure to monitor and remove harmful content is putting lives at risk and fuelling a public health crisis, it added.

The union was due to demand urgent action to tackle the drivers of violence and knife crime in schools, both online and offline, during a debate at the TUC Congress in Brighton last night.

NASUWT wants stronger regulation of social media platforms, including mandatory reporting, rapid removal of violent content and real penalties for failure to act.

General secretary Matt Wrack said: “Teachers are being threatened, assaulted and traumatised and social media is pouring fuel on the fire.

“We need urgent action and that means stronger regulation, proper funding and a national strategy to make schools safe for every child and every teacher.”