Overview

• The government will implement a full prohibition on personal cellphone use in Italian high schools starting in the 2025–26 academic year, as announced June 4 by Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara.
• Valditara pointed to data showing students who overuse smartphones face three times the failure rate of their peers and that 38% suffer sleep disorders due to late-night screen time.
• Officials highlighted alarming findings that children as young as six have accessed pornographic websites on mobile devices, reinforcing safety concerns.
• The minister endorsed a bipartisan bill in Parliament to limit children’s social network access until age 15 and urged lawmakers to fast-track its approval.
• Valditara warned that teachers who promote violence or disrespect on social media could face disciplinary sanctions, including potential dismissal.