Unplug.Scot is a network of parents, teachers and healthcare professionals across Scotland who have come together united by one thing - a profound and growing concern over the impact of screens and educational technology in classrooms.
Read and support our Holyrood Election 2026 Manifesto here >
Join our WhatsApp group here >
For GMC registered Medical Practitioners:
Medical Doctors across the Scottish Borders and beyond are showing their support for the report of Dr Sohail Bhatti, NHS Borders Director of Public Health who in his most recent public health report urged a reassessment of the current policy of providing primary school children with personal iPads, highlighting the evidence of health detriments associated with excessive screen use.
Read the report comments / sign our support form here >
"Acceptable Use" Agreements Campaign
Are you uncomfortable being asked to sign a school digital "Acceptable Use" policy on behalf of your child? In our view these commonly place an inappropriate, unreasonable and unfair burden on children and expose them to unnecessary risk of harm.
Add your support to the campaign / find out more here >
Report a Harm Incident
We are now collecting reports of concerns, issues and incidents of harm related to device use in schools across Scotland.
Media Coverage
In the past year we have gained a fair bit of coverage in national press following a video that was widely shared in December 2024 exposing the school filter failures in Edinburgh City Council schools. This was followed by exposures of failures in other councils including Glasgow, The Scottish Borders and others.
See more about the video and subsequent coverage here >
Open Letters
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Unplug Borders Parents' Open Letter to Scottish Borders Council - 03/06/26
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Open Letter to Charity Commission - 09/02/26
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Why did we make this group?
Children, as young as seven, are being asked to sign damage waiver forms which they are too young to understand. These require parents and children to accept liability for any harm encountered on poorly protected tech, with no risk assessment or national safety standards to protect them.
We are a group of parents who would like to opt out of screens and routine digital technology use in our children’s education but fear doing so may exclude them from the education to which they are entitled.
Want to see some changes?
If you want to see better protections from digital harm in schools, please contact your local and national MSPs, MP and councillors and ask them to support the Unplug.Scot Holyrood Manifesto.
Say hello!
We currently have a Scotland-wide WhatsApp community which you can join. This also has sub groups for individual local authority areas, so you can get in touch with other parents nearby.