French President Emmanuel Macron has announced plans to introduce a ban on mobile phone use in secondary schools from the start of the new academic year.
Macron said protecting children from the excessive effects of screen use could no longer be delayed, arguing that removing phones from schools would help restore a calmer environment for learning.
Government spokesperson Maud Bregeon said the restriction could take effect as early as the beginning of the new school year following Macron’s decision.
The move follows legislation approved on July 21 aimed at protecting minors from risks associated with social media. However, a key provision seeking to prevent children under 15 from using social media was blocked by France’s Constitutional Council.
Bregeon said the secondary school phone ban would be introduced under a “stable, robust and legally grounded” framework to ensure it could withstand legal challenges.
Meanwhile, French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu is expected to work on a revised version of the social media provisions while taking into account concerns raised by the Constitutional Council.
The French government is targeting the establishment of a revised legal framework to strengthen protections for children and young people by next spring.
