Ban on cell phones in schools: The fight against digital distraction!

Ban on cell phones in schools: The fight against digital distraction!

A new cell phone moratorium in schools is imminent in Austria: Education Minister Christoph Wiederverkehr (NEOS) announced this week that the planned ban for the first eight school grades will come into force from mid-May. This initiative is supported by Gerald Brandtner from the Salzburg addiction prevention center “akzente”, who emphasizes that anything that reduces cell phone use among young people is positive. The expert makes it clear that many young people spend up to eight hours a day on their cell phones, which has a negative impact on their mental health. Currently, five percent of young people are classified as addicted to cell phones, and the trend is rising salzburg.orf.at reported.

Worrying numbers on cell phone usage

The debate about the need for a cell phone ban is also supported by alarming figures: According to the Postbank Youth Digital Study, young people in Germany spend an average of 36.9 hours per week on their smartphones - that's over five hours a day. What's also alarming is that almost half of 11 to 17-year-olds receive 237 notifications every day, 23 percent of which come during school hours. These statistics suggest that excessive use of social media such as TikTok and Instagram can lead to health problems, as shown by a study by the health insurance company DAK-Gesundheit, conducted by deutsches-schulportal.de is quoted.

The relevance of a cell phone ban is also underscored by findings from the 2022 PISA study, which shows that 15-year-olds are regularly surveyed about aspects of cell phone use during lessons. While some schools are already considering introducing such bans, there are still few scientific studies that analyze the direct impact of a cell phone moratorium on learning success. A study from England shows that schools that banned cell phones recorded a significant improvement in test results, especially among lower-performing students. This could suggest that such measures are particularly beneficial to those who have difficulty concentrating in the digital age.