France targets teen loneliness with high school mobile phone ban

French President Emmanuel Macron has announced plans to broaden the existing ban on mobile phone use to high school students, effective from the next academic year.

The measure follows the current policy already enforced in middle schools, where mobile devices are prohibited during school hours, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Macron emphasized that schools should serve as environments for education and interpersonal interaction. He noted that young people are facing an “epidemic of loneliness” alongside mounting mental health challenges, and restricting smartphone usage during class time is intended to alleviate these issues.

“We have already removed phones from middle school classes. And we will undoubtedly extend this rule to high schools from the next school year,” the president stated.

Authorities plan to accompany the policy rollout with a public awareness campaign to ensure students, parents, and educators understand the new regulations.

By Vafa Guliyeva