New law in Brazil is making students put away their smartphones at school

Students hold their cellphones before entering school in Rio de Janeiro, on Feb 5, 2025, on the first day of a national ban that restricts the use of smartphones in elementary and high schools. The ban already existed in Rio, but students were allowed to keep their phones in their backpacks. — AP

SAO PAULO: Brazilian students returned to class this week with a new task: staying away from their smartphones as a new law restricting their use in schools took effect.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed a bill in January limiting smartphone access at schools, in line with a trend seen in the US and Europe. It applies to public and private schools, and applies to classrooms and the halls.