International Coverage
LMSD isn't alone — countries around the world are reversing course on classroom devices and phones. A roundup of recent international policy moves.
Sweden Set to Ban Mobile Phones in Schools
Sweden will require students to surrender phones at the start of the school day starting this fall, joining a broader European pullback from screens after years of Sweden's heavily digital classroom model.
Read on NPR →Australia Plans to Strengthen Laws Banning Children from Social Media
Australia's under-16 social media ban, in force since December 2025, is being tightened after reports that many young children still hold accounts.
Read on NPR →Victorian Secondary Schools to Limit Device Use From 2027
Victoria, Australia is directing secondary schools to limit unnecessary device use, building on an existing phone ban and an existing 90-minute device cap already in place for primary grades 3–6.
Read on The Educator →South Korea Passes Nationwide Classroom Phone Ban
South Korea's National Assembly passed a law restricting smartphone use during school hours nationwide, with exceptions for educational use or emergencies approved by a teacher.
Read on Korea Herald →Mobile Phones in Schools (England): Guidance Now Has the Force of Law
England's guidance that schools "should be mobile phone-free environments by default" now carries legal weight, and Ofsted will assess phone policies as part of school inspections.
Read the briefing →Netherlands: Smartphone Ban Results — Concentration and Social Climate Improved
Two years into the Netherlands' classroom device ban, a government survey of school leaders and teachers found roughly three-quarters reported better student concentration and most reported an improved social climate.
Read on Eurydice →France Bans Social Media for Children Under 15 — First EU Country to Do So
Both chambers of the French Parliament approved President Macron's sweeping ban: from September 1, children under 15 may not create new social media accounts; from January 2027, existing accounts are blocked. High school phone bans also extended nationwide.
Read on NPR →UK Announces Plans to Ban Social Media Access for Children Under 16
Following France's lead, the UK government announced plans to ban children under 16 from accessing social media platforms, with similar measures under consideration in Spain, Greece, and Finland.
Read on ITV News →"Digital Pause": France Pilots a Full School-Day Phone Ban
France's "pause numérique" pilot — phones locked away for the entire school day across 180 middle schools and 50,000+ students — has continued expanding under President Macron's push to cut children's screen exposure.
Read on France 24 →Denmark: Agreement on Mobile-Free Primary and Lower-Secondary Schools
Denmark's parliament has mandated that primary and lower-secondary schools and after-school programs go mobile-free starting the 2026/27 school year, with district-issued laptops and tablets for teaching still allowed.
Read on Eurydice →Poland Moves to Ban Phones in Primary Schools
Poland's government, under Prime Minister Donald Tusk, has approved plans to ban phones for students ages 7–15 on school premises — including during breaks — starting in September.
Read on Engadget →