As Keir Starmer calls for schools to pay attention to the hit drama Adolescence, could a smartphone ban be next? We get two writers to argue for and against banning phones in schools in this week’s Debate

YES: There is a clear correlation between smartphones and mental health issues

I believe schools should ban smartphones, and I petitioned for this alongside fellow parents at my son’s school. This is due to the clear correlation between social media and gaming with mental health issues. Despite the government citing insufficient evidence linking phone use to mental health issues, the effects are undeniable to parents.

The recently rolled out Online Safety Act is designed to ensure safer online environments and places more responsibility on technology companies and online platforms. If executed correctly, it is a much-needed measure to safeguard our children and govern the unethical practices of some advertisers who target under-16s. It means that advertisers will need to ensure their campaigns are ethically sound and do not contribute to negative outcomes like mental health issues, unhealthy habits or misinformation. Continued innovation around first-party data........

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