Overview
- Several Argentine jurisdictions expanded formal limits on cellphone use in schools, with the City of Buenos Aires adopting rules in 2024 and provinces such as Buenos Aires, Neuquén and Salta rolling out restrictions this year.
- Large-scale evidence from PISA 2022 and an NBER analysis of more than 40,000 U.S. schools shows physical bans reduce in-school phone use by about 30% over a few years but produce near-zero average gains in standardized test scores.
- Teachers and school leaders report clearer classroom climate and fewer interruptions after limits, and many schools now use practical tools such as lockers, communal boxes and magnetic-lock phone cases like MotivEd to keep devices off desks.
- Experts warn bans alone are not enough and call for age-appropriate digital literacy, habit-building and policies that avoid worsening inequities for students who depend on school-provided devices for home internet access.
- The debate is shifting in Spain from smartphones to laptops and AI, with pediatricians and teachers warning that heavy classroom screen time can exceed health guidance and some regions moving to restrict or regulate device use.