Poland plans to ban mobile phone use for children under 16 in schools and introduce stricter age verification rules for accessing online pornography.
Poland’s government is preparing new laws that would ban mobile phone use in schools for children under the age of 16 and introduce tougher restrictions on access to online pornography.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced that the proposed school phone ban could take effect from September 1 if approved. The rules would apply to students aged between 7 and 15 and would prevent them from using mobile phones during lessons as well as school breaks.
Under the proposed legislation, schools would also receive legal authority to create storage systems where students would deposit their phones during school hours.
Tusk said the government believes excessive use of smartphones, games, and online platforms has become a growing social issue, especially among young people. He warned that digital addiction could negatively affect children’s development, education, and overall wellbeing.
In addition to the school phone restrictions, Poland is also planning stricter age verification measures for websites that offer adult content. Officials said the new system must protect user privacy and cannot rely on simple age declarations, biometric information, or online activity tracking.
The government says the aim is to better protect minors from harmful online content while maintaining personal data protection standards.
Earlier this year, Education Minister Barbara Nowacka also discussed possible measures to restrict social media access for children under 15, signaling broader efforts to regulate digital activity among young users.
Several countries around the world, including the Netherlands, Italy, and South Korea, have already introduced restrictions on smartphone use in schools due to concerns over concentration, behaviour, and mental health.
Technology companies, however, continue to argue that responsible usage and parental controls may be more effective than complete bans, highlighting the educational and safety benefits of smartphones.
