Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed into law a new law on Monday that restricts the use of smartphones in schools, joining a global trend for such limitations.
The measure will affect students in primary and secondary schools throughout the South American nation starting in February. It provides a legal framework to ensure that students only use these devices in cases of emergency and danger, for educational purposes or if they have a disability that requires their use.
“We cannot allow humanism to be replaced by algorithms,” Lula said at a closed-door ceremony at the presidential palace in the capital, Brasilia. He added that the initiative “recognizes the work of every serious person in education, of all those who want to take care of children and adolescents in this country.”
Education Minister Camilo Santana told reporters that children start getting online at an early age, making it difficult for their parents to keep track of what they do online, and that restricting the use of smartphones in schools It will be useful to you.
“We want these devices, as in many other countries, to only be used in class for pedagogical purposes and under the supervision of a teacher,” declared Santana.
The bill had unusual support across the political spectrum, both from allies of the leftist Lula and his adversary, the right-wing former president Jair Bolsonaro.
Many parents and students also spoke in favor of the measure. The Brazilian polling company Datafolha published a survey last October revealing that almost two-thirds of respondents support banning the use of smartphones among children and adolescents in schools. More than 75% indicated that these types of devices harm their children more than they help.
“(Restricting cell phones) is tough, but necessary. It helps them search for their tasks, but using it socially is not good,” said Ricardo Martins Ramos, 43, father of two girls and owner of a hamburger restaurant in Rio de Janeiro. “Children will have more interaction.”
Her 13-year-old daughter, Isabela, said her classmates had trouble concentrating in class because of their smartphones. She was in favor of the measure, but does not believe it is enough to improve the learning environment for everyone.
“When the teacher allows you to use your cell phone, it is because he wants you to do searches,” he said. “There are still many things that schools cannot solve, such as bullying and harassment.”
As of 2023, approximately two-thirds of Brazilian schools had implemented some type of restriction on cell phone use, while 28% banned their use entirely, according to a survey that the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee published in August.
The states of Rio de Janeiro, Maranhao and Goiás have already approved local initiatives to prohibit the use of this type of device in schools. However, authorities have had difficulties enforcing these laws.
In Sao Paulo, Brazil’s most populous state, authorities are debating whether to ban the use of smartphones in both public and private schools.
Gabriele Alexandra Henriques Pinheiro, 25, works in a beauty salon and is the mother of a child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. He also agrees with the restrictions, but says adults will continue to set a bad example for their children when it comes to smartphone use.
“It’s something complicated,” he declared. “I try to restrict my son’s screen time, but every time I have to do something I have to use my phone to get it all done.”
Institutions, governments and parents, among others, have for years linked the use of smartphones with problems among children such as bullying, suicidal thoughts, anxiety and loss of concentration necessary for learning.
China took the measure last year to limit cell phone use among children, while France has a ban on smartphone use in schools for children ages 6 to 15.
Bans on cell phone use have gained ground in the United States, where eight states have passed laws or policies that prohibit or restrict the use of smartphones in order to limit students’ access to their devices and minimize distractions in classrooms. .
In Europe, more and more parents are concerned about evidence that cell phone use among young children endangers their safety and mental health.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) published a report in September in which it indicated that one in four countries has already implemented restrictions on the use of this type of device in schools.
During a US Senate hearing last year, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg apologized to parents of children who have been exploited, harassed or led to harm themselves through social media. He also highlighted his company’s continued investments as part of an “industry-wide” effort to protect children.
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