South Korea has handed a invoice to ban using cell phones and different digital gadgets in class school rooms nationwide, amid rising issues concerning the impact of social media on younger folks.
The ban, authorized on Wednesday and set to take impact in March subsequent 12 months, makes South Korea the newest nation to impose restrictions on smartphone and social media use for minors.
The nation is among the many world’s most digitally linked nations, with 99% of South Koreans on-line and 98% proudly owning a smartphone, in keeping with the US-based Pew Analysis Centre.
That is the best fee among the many 27 nations the centre examined in 2022 and 2023.
The legislation implementing the ban acquired backing from each side of parliament in Wednesday’s vote.
“Our youth’s addiction to social media is at a serious level now,” stated Cho Jung-hun, a politician from the opposition Individuals Energy Get together and a sponsor of the invoice.
“Our kids, their eyes are red every morning. They are on Instagram until 2 or 3am,” he added.
A survey performed by South Korea’s Schooling Ministry discovered final 12 months that about 37% of middle- and high-school college students say social media impacts their day by day lives.
The survey additionally discovered that 22% the identical group of scholars really feel anxious if they can not entry their social media accounts.
Many faculties in South Korea already implement their very own smartphone restrictions, which the brand new invoice now formally establishes.
Digital gadgets will stay allowed for college kids with disabilities or when used for instructional functions.
Some youth advocacy teams have opposed the smartphone ban, saying it could violate kids’s human rights.
Australia has not too long ago expanded its groundbreaking social media ban for youngsters, whereas a July examine revealed that prohibiting cell phones in Dutch faculties has improved college students’ focus.
