France is conducting a trial in 200 schools to completely restrict cellphone use. The program will be implemented in volunteer schools, representing over 50,000 students. Currently, cellphone use is already restricted in French schools under a 2018 law that prohibits students from using phones on school grounds but allows them to keep the devices with them.
The new trial, called the “digital pause,” aims to go further by requiring students to leave their phones at the entrance of the school. Education Minister Nicole Belloubet stated that the goal is to minimize cellphone presence as much as possible in classrooms and corridors. The purpose of this initiative is to prevent online harm, reduce screen exposure, and reinforce rules about digital device usage.
The French government believes that this experiment will improve the overall school environment since excessive cellphone use has been linked to increased instances of online bullying. If successful, the pilot program is expected to be rolled out nationwide by January 1, 2025.
French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed interest in extending a ban on smartphone use for children under 11 and social media access for those under 15 across France. In June, Macron referred to a report from an expert panel led by neurologist Servane Mouton and psychiatry professor Amine Benyamina. The report highlighted both the empowering aspects of technology for children’s access to information and its significant risks.
According to the report, technology can empower children but also imprison and alienate them if not used responsibly. It emphasized that hyper-connectivity can have detrimental effects on children’s health and development while also impacting society as a whole.
Other European countries have implemented bans or restrictions on mobile devices in schools with varying degrees of severity. In the UK, guidance suggests prohibiting cellphone use but leaves it up to individual schools how they enforce it. Italy introduced a ban on smartphones in classrooms back in 2007 but recently expanded it under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s guidelines.
Several regions in Spain have also implemented bans on cellphone use in schools with policies differing across different areas.