Overview

• A BiB survey of 1,312 adults reports 72% oppose private smartphone use in lessons when not part of instruction and 95% oppose it in primary schools.
• Respondents favor minimum ages of about 11.5 years for owning a smartphone and 13.5 years for using social media.
• Germany’s federal states are diverging on policy, with Hesse introducing a school phone ban with exceptions and Baden‑Württemberg advancing guidance that generally prohibits private devices in primary schools.
• Student representatives in Baden‑Württemberg call for equal rules for teachers, citing fairness and the need for role modeling to secure acceptance of restrictions.
• The education union GEW rejects blanket bans, citing safety and practicality, while Sweden announces a nationwide school phone ban from autumn 2026 requiring students aged seven to 16 to hand in devices during the school day.