Not just distraction: 114 countries now restrict phones in schools - here's why

More than half of the world’s countries have now moved to restrict mobile phone use in schools, as governments respond to growing concerns over falling attention spans in classrooms and rising cyberbullying.

According to the latest findings from UNESCO’s Global Education Monitoring (GEM) team, 114 education systems, about 58 per cent of countries globally, now have some form of national ban on mobile phones in schools. The shift has been swift over the past three years.

“Recent global monitoring shows that 114 education systems now have a national ban on mobile phones in schools, representing 58 per cent of countries worldwide. The expansion has been rapid. Less than 1 in 4 countries (24 per cent) had bans in June 2023, when it was first monitored in the 2023 GEM Report. By early 2025, this had risen to 40 per cent, and by March 2026, that share is almost 20 percentage points higher,” a senior member of GEM told PTI.

“The growth reflects mounting concerns about declining attention in classrooms, cyberbullying, and the broader influence of digital environments on children. But the global picture is more nuanced than a simple shift toward prohibition,” the official added.

Rapid rise in bans 

The push to regulate phone use in schools has picked up pace in recent months. Countries such as Bolivia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Georgia, the Maldives, and Malta have introduced national bans since late 2025, adding to the growing list.

In France, which was among the early adopters of school phone restrictions. Mobile phones are already banned in primary and lower secondary schools, but policymakers are now looking at tighter rules.

A proposal currently under discussion in parliament aims to set clearer guidelines for smartphone use in schools, the agency reported. 

Beyond classrooms, the report flags serious concerns about the impact of social media on children’s mental health, particularly among girls. It notes that girls are twice as likely as boys to develop eating disorders linked to social media exposure.

Internal research by Meta found that 32 per cent of teenage girls felt worse about their bodies after using Instagram.

The GEM team also pointed to patterns on platforms like TikTok, where algorithms push body image-related content to teenagers every 39 seconds and promote eating disorder-related content every eight minutes.

Not all countries opting for outright bans

The report also shows that not all countries are taking the same route. In many places, restrictions are limited to classroom hours or the school day, with exceptions for educational use or for students with specific needs.

“In many cases, bans apply during the school day or inside classrooms, with some systems allowing phones only for educational purposes, specific groups of pupils (such as those with disabilities or illness), or requiring them to be switched off and stored away. At the same time, not all governments are opting for outright bans. Some countries have recently adopted national regulations requiring schools to develop policies restricting phone use, without imposing a strict nationwide prohibition,” the report said.

Countries including Comoros, Colombia, Estonia, Lithuania, Iceland, Peru, Indonesia, Serbia, Poland, and the Philippines have chosen this flexible approach, allowing schools to frame their own rules while still limiting usage.

Local policies shaping national action

In countries with decentralised systems, policies are often introduced locally before being adopted more widely. In the United States, there is no nationwide ban, but 39 states have already introduced measures requiring schools or districts to limit phone use.

“Most of the other states have filed bills to regulate phone use as well. These cases show how policy change often starts locally before spreading nationally,” the report highlighted

Early exposure linked to emotional well-being

The findings also highlight a link between early social media use and emotional well-being. Increased exposure to social media at the age of 10 is associated with poorer socioemotional outcomes later, especially among girls, a trend not seen among boys.

The report also finds that several countries have either introduced or are considering restrictions on children’s use of social media, including laws in Australia, France, Portugal, and Spain, along with ongoing discussions in Denmark, the Czech Republic, and Indonesia.