Do smartphones make kids dumb? Countries that ban gadgets for students

Unesco has endorsed banning smartphones from schools. Now, more countries are rolling out bans on smartphone use for students and teens.

The aim: to reduce distractions, enhance the academic experience and encourage face-to-face interaction.

This follows studies showing direct and high correlation between infrequent physical activity, anxiety syndrome, irregular sleep, depression and gadget overuse.

Currently, smartphone bans and restrictions around the world are a patchwork of varied policies.

One unmistakable trend emerges, though: scientific evidence on the cascading effects of gadget overuse points to a modern-day epidemic.

Digital deluge

Nations grapple with how to curb the digital deluge sweeping through classrooms and homes, shaping policies that reflect growing understanding of the serious consequences.

In places like Pakistan's Punjab province, the smartphone ban applies to both students and teachers inside classrooms.

Given such studies showing the knock-on effect digital overstimulation in young people, especially in classroom settings, several countries have banned or announced plans to ban mobile phone use by youngsters.

These bans apply mainly in school settings.

The aim: to reduce distractions, improve learning environments, and safeguard mental health.

Following are the countries that announced such bans and the circumstances surrounding the move:

Countries that banned smartphone use by school-going kids:

Saudi Arabia: In 2021, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Education has banned students from using mobile phones in schools. The ministry, however, said school administrators have the right to allow students to bring mobile phones out of necessity, provided it is kept with the administration.

UAE: The Ministry of Education has announced a ban on bringing mobile phones into school premises and, at the same time, established clear regulations for inspection and confiscation of phones found in students’ possession.

South Korea: The Asian country, home of electronics giants Samsung and LG, legislature passed a nationwide law in 2025 banning mobile phone use in school classrooms. This is a comprehensive national ban aimed at addressing heavy social media use's impact on young people, Reuters reported.​

Brazil: The South American country enacted a federal law in January 2025 that limits smartphone use for students aged 4 to 17 in schools nationwide, prohibiting phones in classrooms and hallways unless used for educational or health-related purposes.​

France: The European nation banned phone use for students under 15 in middle schools (collèges) in 2018. Starting January 2025, it implemented a nationwide ban on mobile phones in primary and secondary schools up to age 15, after a successful trial of stricter “digital breaks” in middle schools.

The 2018 ban requires phones to be turned off and kept in bags during the school day, while the newer initiative aims to create an "enforced digital pause" by making students hand in their phones upon arrival.

India: In 2023, the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh banned the use of mobile phones for students, teachers in schools. In March 2025, however, the Delhi High Court has set guidelines for smartphone use in schools, but rejected a total ban. 

Pakistan: Pakistan's Punjab province has approved a resolution to ban mobile phones in public and private schools and colleges. The Punjab Higher Education Department (HED) stated that the move aims to combat digital distractions and negative impacts on student well-being, according to a LinkedIn post. HED notified all colleges expressing concerns over the disruptive impact of mobile phones, particularly the frequent use of social media by students during lectures and the effect of teachers' phone use on the classroom atmosphere.

The move comes as a 2025 study "Associations Between Screen Time Use and Health Outcomes Among US Teenagers" by Benjamin Zablotsky, Amanda E. Ng, and colleagues from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) examined the relationship between daily non-schoolwork screen time and various health outcomes in U.S. teenagers aged 12 to 17.

The study found that even after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics (i.e. age, gender, race, urbanisation, parental education, and family income), high screen time remained significantly associated with:

• Infrequent physical activity (adjusted prevalence ratio [APR] = 1.33)

• Infrequent strength training (APR = 1.64)

• Being infrequently well-rested (APR = 1.45)

• Weight concerns (APR = 1.42)

• Depression symptoms (APR = 2.51)

• Anxiety symptoms (APR = 2.12)

• Infrequent social and emotional support (APR = 1.29)

• Irregular sleep routines (APR = 1.58)

Phone restrictions in other countries

Additional countries with bans or restrictions include:

China: Requiring written parental consent for school phone use.

Italy: Expanding phone bans to all educational institutions from 2024.

Sweden: Announced a nationwide ban in all schools effective autumn 2026):

Certain US states: Specific states in the US are implementing "bell-to-bell" phone bans throughout the school day, as per World Education blog.

Japan: Japan has not implemented a nationwide ban on mobile phone use among young people. A local initiative was made by Toyoake City, Aichi Prefecture proposing a two-hour daily limit on recreational smartphone use outside of work and school for all residents, particularly targeting children and teenagers. Toyoake City ordinance, effective from October 1, 2025, urges elementary school students to avoid smartphone use after 9 pm and junior high school students and older after 10 pm. It is not a strict ban, carries no penalties, and is intended more as a recommendation.

Public health implications

These measures reflect a growing trend globally to restrict mobile phone use among teens in educational settings to promote better focus and well-being, according to Unesco.​

The suggested that with increasing screen time among teens, understanding the breadth of screen use's impact on health is crucial.

The findings by Zablotsky et all highlight that higher non-school screen time is linked to adverse health and "psychosocial" outcomes reported directly by teens.

Public health efforts may focus on moderating recreational screen use, promoting physical activity, healthy sleep, and social support among teenagers.