Facebook says tens of thousands of children in secondary schools could be taught to counter cyber bullying by the social network.

The US internet giant has announced a £1 million package that it said would be enough for every secondary school in the UK to have a “digital safety ambassador” that would help stamp out online bullying.

Last week the Culture Secretary Karen Bradley proposed a levy on social media companies that would make them pay for measures to protect children online.

The proposals are similar to 2005’s Gambling Act, which granted the Government power to collect funds from the gambling industry. In practice bookmakers have made voluntary contributions and a similar commitment from internet companies could see them avoid an enforced levy.

Facebook insisted the pledge, which will see it fund the Diana Award and Childnet International to provide online and classroom training to help teenagers deal with cyber bullying, showed it takes internet safety “very seriously”.