Overview
- State measures are already in place: Schleswig‑Holstein banned private devices for grades 1–9 in August 2025 and Hesse introduced a mandatory school smartphone ban for 2025/26, showing how regional policy is driving the national discussion.
- An independent experts commission appointed by the federal education ministry is finalizing recommendations for late June that education ministers intend to use to shape common school guidance and national steps on youth digital protection.
- Research from other countries finds strict school bans cut on‑site phone use but deliver limited or mixed gains for discipline, exam results, online bullying and attention, with effects often small or short‑lived.
- Clinicians report rising cases of media dependence and are testing inpatient rehabilitation models in Bavaria, warning of harms such as sleep problems, mood disorders and developmental effects when use becomes compulsive.
- Teacher groups press for legally binding school rules plus technical duties for platforms to enforce age checks and disable addictive features, while critics warn enforcement, peer network effects and platform design make bans hard to sustain.