
As students return to classrooms across Europe after the summer break, national debates over smartphone and social media policies in schools have reignited, with proposals ranging from controlled use to outright bans. Digital media expert Magdalena Bigaj argued in *Tygodnik Powszechny* for creating phone- and social media-free spaces, stating that schools must counter the influence of the digital economy by establishing “a digitally safe childhood” through clear, standardized guidelines. “Norms only emerge when they are understood by society, put into practice and perceived as feasible,” she said, while questioning what alternatives schools would provide if devices were restricted .
In Ireland, the *Irish Examiner* criticized schools for normalizing smart devices in primary classrooms without adequate consultation, despite department directives to engage parents. “The risks come with them. But the conversation with parents did not,” the paper noted, highlighting the lack of debate despite explicit warnings about excessive screen time .
Economist Romas Lazutka, writing in *LRT*, framed the issue within broader educational inequality, warning that private schools and unchecked digital integration risk turning education into a “scarce resource” rather than a societal good .
Follow us for live European news
1 further source not geolocated