Labour is set to launch a comprehensive examination of smartphone bans within schools across England, as growing concern among Members of Parliament mounts over the detrimental effects of social media on young people. Bridget Phillipson, the Shadow Education Secretary, will spearhead this initiative, which involves closely monitoring a selection of schools to assess the efficacy of current guidance.
As part of this scrutiny, the Department for Education will undertake an unprecedented detailed analysis of the national behaviour survey in schools. This analysis aims to uncover the most successful strategies for enforcing smartphone bans and to identify the challenges schools are currently encountering. While existing guidance advises all schools to prohibit mobile phone use throughout the entire school day – encompassing lessons, breaks, and lunchtimes – it notably omits specific instructions on how these bans should be enforced.
A government source indicated that there has been frustration over the absence of monitoring to determine whether the current guidance is being followed or proving beneficial to schools. Despite this, there are no immediate plans for the government to introduce legislation for a nationwide ban, a move ministers reportedly believe would present significant practical difficulties. The monitoring will assess the extent to which schools are adhering to policies, the number of schools with bans in place, the methods of implementation (such as storing phones in lockers or bags), and the overall impact on pupil behaviour. Future national behaviour surveys will also incorporate specific questions on smartphone use to gather further insights.
The impetus for this review is partly driven by recent findings and public discourse. A survey commissioned by Amnesty International revealed that nearly three-quarters (73%) of Gen Z women using social media had encountered misogynistic content online, with half experiencing it weekly. Furthermore, 70% believed sexist language on social media had increased, leading 44% to report negative mental health impacts. This comes as the Netflix drama 'Adolescence', focusing on online misogynist influencers and their impact, has drawn significant attention, with Labour Leader Keir Starmer mentioning watching it with his teenage children in the Commons.
The issue has also highlighted divisions within government, with some Cabinet ministers advocating for more robust action, particularly concerning the mental health implications of social media, which fall under the remit of the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting. However, others, including the Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle, are understood to be resistant to wider changes that extend beyond self-regulation. While the Conservative government had previously issued guidance last year, the Shadow Education Secretary, Laura Trott, acknowledged on the BBC’s 'Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg' that this guidance “hasn’t worked,” with many children still using phones in classrooms.