{
  "id": 4884615,
  "title": "Even at Elysee, phones are handed in, Macron tells pupils",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/01/even-at-elysee-phones-are-handed-in-macron-tells-pupils",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-01T14:49:59.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/world/europe/even-at-elysee-phones-are-handed-in-macron-tells-pupils-1.500659725"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron addressed high school students in Mende, emphasizing that phones and social networks are detrimental to their well-being. He explained that even at the Elysee Palace, attendees are required to surrender their devices before meetings.\n\nMacron is striving to reduce the amount of screen time among children, as the government worries it hampers their development. After visiting a school, he defended his initiative to ban phones in high schools, which took effect on the first day of the new academic year. He argued that phones are a distraction and hinder learning, stating, \"Inside the school grounds it’s not good to have your phone. It’s not compatible with paying attention in classes.\"\n\nThe president insisted he adheres to his message, revealing that he instructs people to hand in their mobile phones during meetings at the Elysee. \"If we’re honest with ourselves, we’ve all been somewhat overwhelmed by this. And that’s true for everyone, including adults,\" he added.\n\nWhen students were asked to deposit their phones, which were placed in a numbered storage unit on the classroom wall, some acknowledged the ban's rationale, while others deemed it infantilizing in an era where smartphones are ubiquitous. France has already prohibited children from using mobile phones in primary and middle schools, and the high school ban extends to around 15-year-olds.\n\nThe government plans to introduce a ban on social media access for children under 15, despite a court ruling that struck down the social media ban due to freedom of expression concerns. Macron contended that screen time and social media usage lead to addiction, attention disorders, and difficulties sustaining focus and concentration on reading.",
  "summary": "Mende: French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday told high school pupils that phones and social networks were “not good” for them, arguing that even at the Elysee presidential palace attendees were asked to give up their devices before meetings. Macron has been pushing for French children to spend less time in front of screens, which the government fears is arresting their development. Visiting…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}