In a move aimed at addressing concerns about the impact of social media on children’s mental health and academic performance, California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed legislation that will give school districts two years to implement restrictions on cellphone use during school hours. The “Phone-Free Schools Act” is set to take effect by July 1, 2026, requiring schools in the nation’s most populous state to limit cellphone access. This legislation represents the latest in a series of statewide efforts to curb phone use by children in classrooms, joining more than a dozen states that have already implemented similar restrictions.
The push for stricter cellphone policies in schools has intensified in recent years, fueled by reports of cyberbullying and studies indicating that the constant distraction and social media access offered by smartphones have negatively impacted academic instruction and the mental well-being of students. Research by the Pew Research Center found that a significant majority (72%) of high school teachers and a sizable portion (33%) of middle school teachers consider cellphone distractions during class a “major problem.”
The Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, has advocated for social media platforms to adopt warning labels similar to those found on cigarettes and other addictive consumer products. Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist who has studied the effects of phone use, has also urged schools to strictly limit smartphone use. Last year, nearly three dozen states filed lawsuits against Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, alleging that the company deliberately targeted children with addictive platforms.
While most California schools already have cellphone restrictions in place or are in the process of developing them, Newsom and state lawmakers sought to send a clear message by enacting a statewide law ensuring all campuses begin limiting cellphone use. “We know that excessive smartphone use among youth is linked to increased anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues — but we have the power to intervene,” Newsom stated in a press release. “This new law will help students focus on academics, social development, and the world in front of them, not their screens, when they’re in school.”
Efforts to regulate cellphone use in schools have encountered mixed results, facing pushback from industry groups and raising questions about the practicalities of implementation. A landmark children’s privacy law passed in California two years ago has been stalled by legal challenges from tech companies, including Meta and TikTok. Many parents argue that cellphones are essential for children’s safety in an age of school shootings and other emergencies. Some educators see smartphones as valuable tools for learning and advocate for their integration into classrooms.
California, home to Silicon Valley, boasts nearly 1,000 school districts and 6 million public school students. The new law has been met with opposition from the California School Boards Association, which believes it is redundant and forces local officials to implement cellphone restrictions even if local communities deem them unnecessary. Supporters of the measure include the California Teachers Association, who consider cellphones a significant distraction in schools and classrooms.
Newsom, himself a father of four school-age children, previously called for a voluntary ban on smartphone use in California public schools. He also signed legislation on Friday designed to protect minors from social media addiction by requiring social media companies to change the default settings on their platforms.
The trend towards limiting cellphone use in schools is not confined to California. Data from Education Week shows that at least 14 states have moved to ban or restrict cellphone use in schools over the past 15 months. However, the specific policies vary considerably across the country. Some states, like Louisiana, have strict requirements that students power off their devices and keep them stored away throughout the school day. Other states, like Indiana and Minnesota, opt for a middle ground, requiring districts to limit cellphone use but allowing them flexibility in how they implement these restrictions.
The debate over cellphone use in schools continues, with differing opinions on the benefits and drawbacks of these devices. As technology evolves and its impact on children becomes more apparent, the conversation is likely to continue, with state and local governments continuing to grapple with the best strategies to navigate the challenges of a digital age.
