Eton bans smartphone for new pupils
Eton College bans smartphones for new pupils, providing basic Nokia handsets instead to address concerns about negative impacts on behavior and mental health. Other schools also tighten smartphone rules.
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Eton College has implemented a ban on smartphones for new pupils, opting to issue them with basic Nokia handsets instead. The prestigious private school, known for educating Princes William and Harry, aims to address concerns regarding the negative impact of smartphones on children's behavior and mental health. The new policy requires 13-year-old boarders to transfer their SIM cards to offline Nokia devices that only allow calls and texts. Eton's deputy head emphasized the potential challenges associated with smartphone use, highlighting issues such as overuse and its effects on socialization and health. Other private schools are also tightening smartphone regulations, with some prohibiting internet access on phones for younger students. In St Albans, a group of headteachers has advocated for delaying smartphone ownership until age 14, citing concerns about addiction and exposure to harmful content. The move reflects a growing trend among educators and parents to address the risks associated with early smartphone use and prioritize children's well-being and development.
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6 commentsI suggested that there could be a smartphone-free dorm, and students who live there would have to have dumb phones or no cell phones. Parties hosted there would have the same rules for all attendees. It would be like how there used to be non-smoking dorms for students and visitors who preferred to live in a smoke-free environment.
Humans are terrible in proactive action, we always wait until net negative developments really mess things up and then we are reactive. The main difference in this case is that in my opinion it is only rarely that a development plagues children so much as smartphones have.
We can only hope that the obliteration of attention spans and the cultivation of addictive behaviours will not leave lasting effects.
I do worry that it might make it harder for students that struggle finding a group of peers at school and find community online.
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