France is extending its smartphone ban to high schools following a presidential decision announced by government spokesperson Maud Bregeon, according to reporting by Agence France-Presse. Despite the Constitutional Council censoring a companion rule that would have banned social media for children under 15, President Emmanuel Macron chose to promulgate the legislation anyway, allowing the secondary school device ban to take effect for the upcoming school year under a stable legal framework.
France Extends Phone Ban to High Schools for the Academic Year
The restriction means students will face strict limitations on devices across the country’s secondary institutions.
President Macron initially detailed the plan during an interaction with readers of the La Provence group in Marseille, according to Banquedesterritoires.fr coverage. At the time, the head of state emphasized that devices would be prohibited from the first bell to the last throughout the school day, mirroring rules already introduced in middle schools.
Did you know?
Middle schools in France implemented a similar “Portable in pause” initiative starting in April 2025, following experimental rollouts in roughly one hundred institutions across the country.
Constitutional Hurdles and Social Media Regulations
The rollout faces distinct legal hurdles regarding youth online access. While the high school device ban moves forward, the Constitutional Council blocked the specific provision aimed at barring social media use for minors under 15, as reported by Agence France-Presse and Le Figaro.
In response to the censorship, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu received instructions from the president to draft a revised text. Government spokesperson Maud Bregeon noted that the administration aims to secure a stabilized legal framework by the following spring to safeguard children and young people online, aligning with broader European regulations on digital majority.
Implementation Challenges and Local Costs
Expanding the policy to older students highlights existing operational difficulties reported by local administrators. According to Banquedesterritoires.fr, the Assembly of Departments of France previously estimated the cost of middle school restrictions at roughly 130 million euros across nearly 7,000 institutions, while also warning of legal liabilities tied to potential device damage.
Furthermore, surveys conducted by the National Union of Directors of Public Education (SNPDEN) indicated that a very small fraction of middle schools successfully enforced the prior rollout. A significant percentage of school leaders initially considered the mandate overly complex to administer, reflecting ongoing logistical debates as the policy scales up to high schools.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the high school phone ban take effect in France?
What happened to the proposed social media ban for minors?
The Constitutional Council censored the specific provision prohibiting social media for under-15s. However, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is tasked with redrafting the text to meet a stabilized target by the following spring, as reported by Agence France-Presse.
Are middle schools already subject to phone restrictions?
Yes. Banquedesterritoires.fr notes that an interdiction has applied in middle schools following initiatives rolled out through 2024 and 2025.
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