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Relive our Webinar on mobile phones in schools

On 21st January 2025, IAME organised a webinar to discuss the ban on mobile phones in schools and to reflect on the issues this raises for the media literacy sector. The discussion brought together over 40 participants and was moderated by Prof. David Buckingham and Maria Leonida.

The seminar brought together testimonies from members of different nationalities. It was noted that the policies put in place vary from one country to another, ranging from total bans to the introduction of specific rules. The discussion raised the growing anxiety on the part of decision-makers about the impact of phones on young people’s mental health, particularly in terms of social networking, anxiety and addiction. There are many moral panics surrounding this issue.  There is a historical tendency to exclude the media (television, video games, etc.) from schools by presenting them as harmful factors and the cause of all ills such as mental health, bullying and academic under-performance, rather than exploring the deeper, pre-existing causes of the problem. The discussion did, however, identify that the use of telephones can lead to distractions in the classroom and cause difficulties for optimal teaching. But would an outright ban be effective? What would be the impact on young people’s mental health? Another issue raised was that of political propaganda: isn’t proposing this type of measure a way of attracting voters?

The discussion highlighted the importance of media education: not simply banning phones, but adopting a media education approach that teaches appropriate use of phones, management of distractions, and awareness of the social and economic implications of technology. Phones have also become invaluable teaching tools for creativity, forms of language, etc. In short, the discussion favoured a nuanced and educational approach, rather than a blanket ban on phones in schools.

Watch the replay of the webinar in video:

Read the very interesting blog article written by David Buckingham following the webinar: https://davidbuckingham.net/2025/01/27/should-we-ban-mobile-phones-in-schools/#more-5000

See you at the next IAME webinar!