Early and Middle Schools to Fully Ban Smartphones Next September... France Accelerates 'Digital Pause' Initiative

France Implements Pilot Smartphone Ban in Some Schools
"Participating Schools Respond Positively... Complete Learning Immersion"
European Countries Increase Regulations on Youth Smartphone and SNS Use

The French government is considering expanding the smartphone ban regulation, currently piloted in some schools, to all elementary and middle schools starting from September next year. This is a strong measure for a so-called 'digital pause' amid growing concerns about the harm smartphones cause to children and adolescents.

On the 27th (local time), Le Monde reported, "Alexandre Portier, Minister Delegate for Academic Achievement at the Ministry of Education, recently stated in an interview that he hopes the 'digital pause' measure will be implemented nationwide by the start of the school year in September 2025 at the latest."

The 'digital pause' measure refers to the policy introduced by the French Ministry of Education this September, physically banning smartphone use for students in about 200 middle schools. Schools participating in this pilot program have created separate lockers where students deposit their smartphones upon arrival and retrieve them when leaving. Since 2018, France has allowed possession of smartphones in elementary and middle schools but prohibited their use; however, enforcement was inadequate.

Minister Portier described the 'digital pause' as "a national crisis situation" and emphasized "the obligation to protect the health of young people." He added, "Schools participating in the pilot program have responded positively, and it has the effect of allowing students to fully immerse themselves in learning."

Across Europe, movements to regulate mobile phones and social networking services (SNS) continue. The UK government issued guidelines earlier this year to ban or restrict mobile phone use in schools, and most schools in England have implemented these measures. On the 15th, Labour MP Josh McAllister submitted the 'Safer Phones Bill' to the House of Commons to legislate these guidelines into law. The bill mandates that all schools become 'phone-free zones.'

Additionally, the age at which online companies, including SNS platforms, can obtain children's data consent without parental permission has been raised from the current 13 to 16 years old. The bill also strengthens the regulatory authority of OfCom, the communications media regulator, to prevent children from being exposed to addictive applications or services.

Norway has decided to raise the minimum age for SNS use from 13 to 15, citing the need to protect children from the 'power of algorithms.' According to Norwegian authorities' research, over half of 9-year-olds, 58% of 10-year-olds, and 72% of 11-year-olds access SNS. The Norwegian government's move to introduce SNS age restriction laws is understood to be a response to the serious social problem of youth SNS addiction.