Smartphone-Free Childhood Movement

  The advent of technology and its evolutions is effective in learning, as was seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. Technology was what kept schools running even though students were at home. Also, access to search engines, apps, and learning platforms like YouTube has greatly increased students' understanding of various subjects. This benefit continues as a ripple effect among other aspects of children’s lives. 

  However, these many benefits do not cancel out the negative effects of early mobile phone usage among children. These can include addiction, decrease in role performance, cyberbullying, exposure to inadequate content, social isolation, general distractions from academic work, etc.

  Following the ban of smartphones in schools in the Netherlands, there have been reports of positive effects on academic performance and social performance at schools. Several countries have continued on this path, e.g., France, Italy, Belgium, Greece, the United Kingdom, etc.