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As global leaders become more concerned about the impact of smartphones on children’s development, many have moved to ban their use in schools. Nearly two years into its own ban, the Dutch government is measuring the results.
It’s no secret that smartphones are addictive, even to adults. The constant buzz of notifications tempts us out of the current moment, out of productivity, and social media apps steal time we’d otherwise devote to hobbies.
In short, we could all use a little less screen time. But for children, whose minds are growing and developing, the dangers are far more profound and still not well understood.
In 2023, a UNESCO report on global education warned of the overuse of computers and smartphones in education.
The report didn’t just call for teachers to be more intentional, but suggested that schools to ban smartphones during class altogether, unless they were being used to support learning.
Across Europe, government leaders began seriously contemplating how smartphones could be negatively impacting children’s growth and learning. From child safety in digital spaces to weakening attention spans and comprehension, concerns mounted on many sides.
By the end of 2024, at least 60 countries had started implementing new rules to prevent smartphone use in schools.
The Netherlands implemented a ban on digital devices in schools at the start of January 2024. Now, the government has conducted research to understand what impact the ban was having – if any.
Surveying 317 high school leaders and 313 primary school teachers, teaching assistants, and parents across the country, it appears the results from the smartphone ban are already promising.
