Phone bans in schools: Long-term repercussions we aren't thinking of

School phone bans may seem like the answer to reeling in young people’s technology use. But if we ban phones and bury this issue under the sand, when and how do our kids learn to have a healthy relationship with technology in a world becoming more tech-focused by the day?

Many young people I am interviewing as part of new research for the eSafety commissioner agree their technology use is not controlled, meaning that they feel they spend too much time using their phone in unproductive and habitual ways. This worries them.

However rather than pointing the finger at the kids, let’s consider what’s happening with the adult population and mobile phones.

Our all-consuming approach to phones has become so worrying that problematic Mobile Phone Use (PMPU) has been identified by the Australian Psychological Society as one of the biggest behavioural addiction challenges of the 21st century.

Adults use their phones all the time, especially in places they should not be. A 2018 study by Education company Udemy showed millennials (the parents of many school-aged children) checked their phone two hours a day for personal activities during the workday. The 40-hour week has turned into a 30-hour work week, plus ten hours on your phone.

As adults we find it very difficult to cope with mobile phone bans. There are now hundreds of hidden mobile phone detection cameras to catch us out because we can’t be trusted not to use our phones when driving.

These cameras collected about $66million last year in fines. This was a $4 million increase from the previous year. It shows how real issues with adult phone use have not been solved with bans or arbitrary penalties.

Within this broader context we must ask what will children’s lives look like in 10 years time without the education they need to be able to learn, work and live in a world saturated with technology. This includes their home and bedroom where they do their homework after school. If phones are banned, will education in this area be implemented?

Meanwhile, we also need a broader conversation about how all of us – children and adults alike – can use phones in a healthy way.