As anyone with a smartphone will know it’s easy to become addicted to your device. With 24/7 access to the internet, it is commonplace to spend hours scrolling social media or other websites. 

The effects of frequent smartphone use can especially be felt in young people. Many teens report feeling overwhelmed by social media, and unfortunately are subjected to cyberbullying. 

Research indicates that excessive smartphone use can even cause changes in brain structure; smartphone addiction has been associated with anxiety, depression and other mental health problems.

Smartphones can also be a significant source of distraction, which is why Governor Kathy Hochul is enacting the “New York State Distraction-Free Schools Law,” which bans the use of smartphones and internet-enabled personal devices on school grounds.

No phones will be allowed at K-12 schools for the entire school day (from “bell to bell”), including classroom time and other settings like lunch and study hall periods (this does not include devices supplied by the school for an educational purpose). 

We applaud this decision. New York will join 13 other states that have bans, with many others that have proposals or guidelines in place.

The decision is broadly supported by teachers, who say students using phones in the classroom takes away their focus. A 2024 National Education Association poll found that 90 percent of teachers support prohibiting student cellphone use during instructional hours, with 75 percent favoring extended restrictions to the entire school day.

Of course enforcement may prove to be difficult. New York’s law will allow schools to develop their own plans for storing internet-enabled devices during the day, as well as making funding available for schools to aid in purchasing storage solutions to help them go distraction-free.

The law also requires schools to give parents a way to contact their children during the day when necessary. 

Some parents are opposed to banning phones during the school day, but we argue that they will still have suitable ways to get in touch with their children. In “the old days”, parents did not have to be in constant communication with their kids at all times.

We hope that the integration of this policy will have positive impacts on kids for years to come, from increased levels of learning to better social interactions.