South Korea passed a bill on Wednesday (August 27) to ban the use of mobile phones and other digital devices in school classrooms nationwide, as concern grows about the impact of heavy social media use among youth.

Seoul

South Korea's parliament has passed legislation that will prohibit the use of mobile phones and other digital devices in school classrooms nationwide, with the ban scheduled to begin in March 2026. The decision comes amid increasing worries about the effects of heavy social media use among young people, with surveys indicating significant digital connectivity and concerns about students' well-being.

The bill received bipartisan backing, reflecting broad political agreement on the issue. Recent surveys show that South Korea has one of the highest rates of smartphone ownership globally, and a substantial proportion of students report that social media affects their daily lives and causes anxiety when access is restricted. The move aligns with similar measures in other countries, such as Australia and the Netherlands, aimed at improving student focus and well-being.

South Korea passes bill to ban mobile phones in classrooms

South Korea passed a bill on Wednesday to ban the use of mobile phones and other digital devices in school classrooms. The nationwide ban will take effect starting in March 2026, and comes as concern grows about the impact of heavy social media use among young people. The legislation imposing the ban garnered bipartisan support in Wednesday's parliamentary vote. A survey by the U.S.-based Pew Research Center found South Korea is among the world's most digitally connected countries, with 99 percent of residents online and 98 percent owning a smartphone, the highest rate among 27 countries the survey examined in 2022 and 2023. About 37 percent of middle and high school students say social media affects their daily lives and 22 percent feel anxious without access to their accounts, a survey by the Education Ministry found last year. In Australia, a ban on social media for teenagers was recently widened, while a study in July found a ban on mobile phones in Dutch schools has improved focus among students.

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