UC and CSU researchers caution against blanket cellphone bans in schools

"Research has shown that excessive cellphone use among youth can lead to disrupted learning, negative well-being and challenges like bullying, distractions and device addiction, and young adults' underdeveloped impulse control and brain and behavioral changes can make youth particularly susceptible to the negative consequences of cellphone use. And a shift to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated students' excessive phone use and created additional challenges for young adults' abilities to interact in person, develop social skills and focus in the classroom."

"But the research brief from the UC and CSU collaborative cautions school leaders that limiting students' cellphone use through bans or restrictions without providing guidance for educators on how to enforce those rules or failing to consider the benefits of technology for students' learning and development can cause more harm than good, especially to marginalized communities."

"Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the Phone-Free School Act last year, but Bay Area schools have been split on the law, expressing concerns over what the ban would mean for school safety and arguing it doesn't make sense for schools to restrict or ban phones in districts that provide students with computers and wifi access."

Complete bans on student cellphones can cause harm and deepen existing inequities if rules lack enforcement guidance or ignore technology's educational benefits. Excessive cellphone use among youth is linked to disrupted learning, poorer well-being, bullying, distractions and device addiction, and adolescents' underdeveloped impulse control increases vulnerability to these harms. Remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic amplified excessive phone use and created additional challenges for in-person interaction, social-skill development and classroom focus. Some districts express safety concerns and note it may be inconsistent to ban phones when students already receive devices and wifi access. Policies should address enforcement, equity and educational uses of technology.

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