A French village bans scrolling on smartphones in public places – Dagsavisen

The French village of Seine-Port, located in the Seine-et-Marne region south of Paris, has a population of less than 2,000.

Last weekend, he writes, a referendum was held to limit the use of smartphones in public places Watchman. In the proposal, adults and children will be prohibited from scrolling on their mobile phones while walking, staying in the park, in shops, in cafes and restaurants, or while parents are waiting for their children at the school gate.

If someone gets lost, they suffer – because they can't pick up the map on their phone. Instead, they are encouraged to ask for directions.

Limits screen usage

The village also agreed to hold a referendum for families. It states that children should not use cell phones or other screen devices in the morning, in the bedroom, before bed, or during meals.

Parents of teens who sign a written agreement with the city council not to give their children a smartphone before the age of 15 get an old-fashioned cell phone for free.

A total of 277 people voted in favor of the proposal, and it was adopted by 54 percent.

Mayor Vincent-Paul Petit, of the right-wing Republicans party, will now write a municipal decree on the use of smartphones, the first of its kind in France.

Smartphones and screen time are increasingly becoming a political issue in France. President Emmanuel Macron said last month that he would consult experts to “Determine the optimal use of screens» For young children, hint that there may be bans or restrictions.

– I want to protect public places from the invasion of smartphones, says the city's mayor, Paul Beattie, to the newspaper.

– It's not about banning all phones, it's about suggesting that people refrain from taking out their smartphones to browse social media, play games or watch videos in public places, which we want to preserve as a social space.

– Almost all teenagers walk down the street with their cell phones in their hands… I understand that the word “ban” can offend some people. But he says it is important to open the door to discussion.

[ Vil ha høyere ytelser, til bukser og brød ]

She cannot be fined

Police in Seine-Port won't stop people for swiping or fine them, as there is no national law against smartphones – but the mayor describes this as a call to stop swiping, and a guide to curb phone use.

Also in Norway, the debate about children and young people's use of screens is still ongoing, especially regarding the role of the phone in school, and on Wednesday all the country's students were forced to put their mobile phones away at school forever after the Corona virus. Recommendations and guidelines of the Norwegian Directorate of Education (Udir) on the use of mobile phones in school have been drawn up.

Oder is clear: Cell phones should be out of classrooms in both elementary and secondary schools. For primary schools, the recommendations are that the recess should also be mobile phone-free.

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