Children in the Netherlands would not be allowed to use their phones anywhere on school grounds from January under a new cabinet proposal.
Digital economy minister Willemijn Aerdts wants all primary and secondary schools to adopt the ban, extending the national agreements that have kept phones out of classrooms since 2024.
The government cannot force schools to do this, so the education ministry will work out an agreement with them.
Family vlogs and screen time
The plan, set out in a Strategy Letter on Children’s Rights, would also tighten the rules for children who appear in family vlogs and limit how long children spend scrolling.
Aerdts says children are quickly exposed online, on social media and in video games, and face risks she considers unacceptable.
Research into apps and platforms
The cabinet also plans to commission research into how Netflix, YouTube, Roblox, Fortnite, ChatGPT, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok affect children.
Earlier this year the government backed an EU-wide minimum age for social media, and coalition parties D66, VVD and CDA have agreed to push for an enforceable European minimum age of 15.
Check out our guide to how Dutch schooling is organised.