Denmark to ban mobile phones in primary and lower secondary schools
The government moves to protect children's mental health and attention spans by removing smartphones from classrooms and after-school clubs.
The Danish government has announced plans to ban mobile phones across all 'folkeskole'—the nation's comprehensive primary and lower secondary schools—as well as in after-school clubs. The move aims to shield children's mental health and attention spans from the pervasive influence of digital platforms.
This policy shift follows the findings of a government wellbeing commission led by Rasmus Meyer, which investigated the digitalization of children's lives. The commission's data revealed a stark digital reality: 94% of Danish youth had established a social media profile before the age of 13. Furthermore, children between the ages of nine and 14 in Denmark spend an average of three hours every day on TikTok and YouTube. In response to these figures, the commission recommended that children under 13 should not own a smartphone or tablet at all.
A shift toward protected childhood
Denmark's decision is part of a broader trend across Europe and the Nordic region, including Sweden and Finland, to reverse the rapid integration of screens in educational settings. For years, many systems leaned into 'digital-first' education, but concerns have mounted over rising social isolation, diminished self-esteem, and a general decline in student attention. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen underscored the urgency of the situation, stating that "mobile phones and social media are stealing our children's childhood."
Reclaiming the analogue community
By removing these devices, the Danish government is attempting to transition from a digital-centric model to a 'protected childhood' framework. The objective is to treat smartphones not as essential educational tools, but as disruptive devices that compete with the learning environment. By eliminating these distractions, officials hope to restore 'analogue communities' within schools, ensuring that social interaction and academic focus are not mediated by commercial algorithms.
The road ahead
While the ban targets the school environment and after-school clubs, the government's broader recommendations regarding device ownership for children under 13 suggest a desire for a systemic change in how Danish families approach technology. Observers will now watch to see how the ban is enforced across different municipalities and whether similar restrictive measures regarding social media access for minors will be codified into law to support the classroom restrictions.