The Dutch Cabinet has called for primary and secondary schools across the Netherlands to prohibit students from using mobile phones throughout the school day, including during breaks and while on school premises, Dutch broadcaster NOS reported Monday.
Under the proposed measure, students would be expected to keep their mobile phones out of use for the entire school day from January 1, 2027. The proposed restriction would extend beyond classrooms to include assembly halls, playgrounds, corridors, break periods and other areas within school grounds.
The move forms part of a broader government strategy aimed at protecting children and young people from what officials describe as the potentially harmful effects of excessive online activity and prolonged screen exposure.
According to the proposal, students would not simply be prevented from using their phones during lessons. Instead, the government wants schools to adopt a much broader approach that would keep mobile phones away throughout the school day.
The Cabinet argues that the increasing use of smartphones and social media is making it more difficult for young people to disconnect from digital platforms. Officials have particularly raised concerns about addictive algorithms, automatically playing videos and social media features designed to keep users engaged for extended periods.
The government believes that limiting access to mobile phones while children are at school could help reduce distractions and encourage students to concentrate more fully on education and social interaction.
However, the Dutch Cabinet currently does not have the legal authority to impose a nationwide statutory ban on mobile phone use in schools. Instead, it can issue recommendations and seek cooperation from the education sector.
The proposed nationwide approach would therefore depend significantly on schools and education authorities implementing the recommendation.
The initiative builds on agreements reached nationally in 2024 concerning mobile phone use during lessons. Those arrangements were introduced to reduce distractions in classrooms and encourage students to focus on their studies.
The latest proposal would go considerably further by extending the restriction to virtually the entire school day and school environment.
The Cabinet is also considering additional measures aimed at strengthening protections for children online. Among the proposals is a possible minimum age for accessing social media platforms.
The European Commission is considering an age threshold of 13 for access to social media, while the Dutch government has proposed a higher minimum age of 15.
If adopted, the Dutch proposal would represent one of the more stringent approaches to regulating young people's access to social media in Europe.
Dutch officials have argued that stronger safeguards are necessary because children can be exposed to potentially harmful content, excessive screen use and online environments designed to maximize engagement.
The government is also preparing tighter rules for family vloggers and child influencers, reflecting growing concerns about children appearing regularly in monetized online content.
Under the proposed regulations, online content produced by children under the age of 15 could, in certain circumstances, be classified as child labour. Such a classification could subject parents, content creators or other responsible parties to penalties if the rules are violated.
The proposed measures reflect a growing debate in the Netherlands and across Europe about the impact of smartphones, social media and digital platforms on children.
While smartphones can provide educational and communication benefits, Dutch authorities are increasingly concerned about the amount of time young people spend online and the difficulty some children face in disengaging from digital platforms.
The government’s approach combines restrictions in schools with broader proposals for regulating children's access to online services and protecting minors involved in digital content creation.
If implemented from January 2027, the recommended school-day restriction would mean that students in Dutch primary and secondary schools could be required to remain without access to their mobile phones from the beginning of the school day until they leave school grounds.
The Cabinet's proposal now places responsibility on the education sector to determine how the recommendation can be implemented while the government considers whether further legal measures may eventually be necessary.
The initiative signals a significant shift in the Netherlands' approach to children's digital lives, with authorities seeking to balance the educational and social benefits of technology against concerns over excessive screen time, addictive online platforms and the protection of minors.
