Measures to Restrict Smartphone Use in Schools Implemented in Many Countries
Limited Effectiveness of Smartphone Bans Reported
A 17-year-old girl has filed a lawsuit against the UK Secretary of State for Education, claiming that the lack of restrictions on smartphone use in schools exposed her to disturbing photos and videos, including pornography and footage of shootings. On November 10 (local time), The Guardian reported that a student from Devon in the southwest of England saw such images and videos sent via smartphones during class and also received threatening messages. She has called for a complete ban on smartphone use in schools. Flossie Maxia, 17, who is participating in the lawsuit, claimed she has been experiencing such harm since her first year of secondary school.
She said, "At home, my parents strictly controlled my smartphone use, but at school, some students would send me photos and videos via AirDrop or show them directly on their screens to see my reaction to pornography or disturbing content." Flossie shared that she is still traumatized by a video in which two children were playing with a gun and one accidentally shot the other. She was so shocked that she could not sleep that night, and even three years later, she still remembers the scene. Flossie added, "Our school has a policy of immediately confiscating smartphones if students are caught using them, but in reality, students use their phones everywhere-under desks, during lunch, in the bathroom, on the playground, in the hallways, and on the school bus. Teachers cannot stop it."
Earlier, in July, two parents named Will Orrowing and Pete Montgomery announced their intention to sue Bridget Phillipson, the UK Secretary of State for Education, arguing that it is unlawful and unsafe for headteachers to decide whether smartphones are allowed in schools. Flossie recently joined their legal action.
Measures to restrict smartphone use within schools have already been implemented in several countries. In Europe, Italy took the first step in 2007, followed by France in 2018, and then the policy spread across Europe to countries such as the Netherlands and Finland. Photo is not related to the specific content of the article. The Asia Business Daily
Katie Moore, who is also a parent and participating as an attorney in the lawsuit, said her 18-year-old daughter was unwillingly exposed to a photo of male genitalia sent anonymously via smartphone. Moore stated, "My daughter has experienced this kind of thing since she was 13, but she never told me the truth because she was afraid I would be angry and take her phone away. Schools claim they will protect children, but until smartphones are designated as prohibited items, there is no guarantee that such harmful content can be prevented."
The legal representatives for Flossie and others criticized, "The government is well aware of the serious harm smartphones cause to children at school. When safety guidelines were announced this fall, it was a good opportunity to implement a nationwide ban, but once again, the issue was ignored, and Secretary Phillipson is putting our children at risk."
Meanwhile, measures to restrict smartphone use within schools have already been implemented in several countries. In Europe, Italy took the first step in 2007, followed by France in 2018, and then the policy spread across Europe to countries such as the Netherlands and Finland. In Australia and the United States, more schools are banning smartphone use during class at the state level. In the UK, while there is no legal mandate to ban smartphones, more than 90% of schools have established their own prohibitions. However, experts remain divided on the effectiveness of banning smartphones in schools.
The French government announced that middle schools where the smartphone ban was implemented in 2018 saw positive effects such as increased social interaction, more physical activity, a reduction in digital bullying, and improved student concentration. In the Netherlands, a survey of staff at 630 primary and secondary schools found that 75% reported improved student concentration. On the other hand, a study conducted around February by researchers at the University of Birmingham in the UK, which tracked more than 1,200 students attending schools with and without smartphone bans, found no significant differences in students' sleep, exercise levels, or academic achievement.
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