Poland has approved legislation to ban phones and smartwatches for students under 16 during school hours, including breaks and extracurricular activities. The measure requires students to store devices in designated areas throughout the school day. Teachers and students with medical needs would be exempt from the restriction.

The bill still requires parliamentary approval and presidential signature before becoming law. If passed, the ban would take effect September 1, when the next school year begins. Students could request emergency use of their devices when necessary, according to the legislation.

Donald Tusk, Poland's prime minister, framed the measure as addressing phone and internet addiction issues. Several countries have implemented similar bans, with Italy restricting phone use in primary schools and South Korea enforcing bans during school hours. Poland also approved a separate bill requiring adult websites to implement age verification systems.