Overview

• Baden-Württemberg's Education Minister Theresa Schopper plans to mandate schools to create their own smartphone usage policies under new state regulations.
• The initiative is driven by concerns over smartphones' negative effects on concentration, learning, mental health, and risks like cyberbullying.
• Austria is set to implement a nationwide smartphone ban for the first eight grades starting May 2025, with some exceptions for educational purposes.
• Local projects, such as Solingen's ban on social media in fifth-grade classes, highlight diverse approaches to managing smartphone use in schools.
• Critics warn that outright bans could hinder digital education, citing insufficient school-provided technology as a significant challenge.