Report: A Ban on Mobile Phones in Schools Is Not a Universal Solution

In the Czech context, the research also focused on cyberbullying, symptoms of online addiction, and children’s mental well-being. However, results show that blanket bans are not directly related to these outcomes. Students in schools with phone bans report similar levels of experience with cyberbullying and similar signs of online addiction as students in schools without such bans. By contrast, children’s well-being is strongly related to active parental mediation – that is, when parents talk with their children about technology, take an interest in their online activities, and help them understand the risks.

The authors of the research report therefore recommend viewing regulation more as support for schools, which should be given the flexibility to adapt rules to local conditions. Rather than relying on simple blanket bans, school policies should focus on the instructional approach, classroom disruptions, and the development of students’ competencies, including digital skills and the ability to regulate their own technology use.

Data from the Czech wave of the EU Kids Online V survey (May–June 2025) also show that strict bans are most common at the primary level and become less common as children grow older. Approximately one-third of students in grades 3–9 report that mobile phones are banned at their school. Younger children are more likely to comply with the rules and agree with them than older students.