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Fight begins to make mobile-free schools law

A law to ban smartphones in schools will be called for under a private member’s bill on Wednesday.

Children “doomscrolling for hours a day” is causing widespread harm, according to Josh MacAlister, the Labour MP and former teacher behind the private member's bill being introduced in the House of Commons on Wednesday. Some of those in favour of smartphones say they provide good opportunities for child development, including socialising, and there is little evidence supporting restrictions of devices in schools. Her daughter hates her no-phone rules and it has become a real point of contention, Ms Wersh-Bale says, but children do not understand how apps are designed to be addictive and banning them in all schools is a “no brainer”.

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