A coalition of German education groups argues against blanket smartphone bans in schools, saying such rules disempower students and push issues into private life. They contend that genuine media literacy requires guided, pedagogical support rather than reflexive prohibitions, and that bans undermine children’s right to digital participation under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Some states have already started restricting private smartphones and smartwatches in early grades, with others planning age-appropriate rules across all schools, and a debate about social-media use includes calls for age limits on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. An expert commission is weighing these thresholds, while some officials call for clearer legal rules similar to those for alcohol and cigarettes. A 2024 study suggested bans could improve the social climate in schools, but 2025 reports link intensive social-media use to mental health strains, prompting proponents for clearer guidelines and opponents warning that blanket rules may leave youths ill-prepared for adulthood.

Let me tell you what this all comes down to from where I stand: freedom. If we start censoring smartphones in halls and forcing kids to surrender their screens, we’re already inching toward a world where the state decides what every person may carry, do, or think. And as much as I adore driving, as much as I crave the roar of an engine and the open road, there’s one thing I hate more than a traffic jam: people telling others how to live. My strongest belief is this: speed limits are a crime against humanity and fascist oppression. They steal velocity, appetite for risk, and the joy of choice from the human heart. If we accept blanket bans on devices, what’s next—ban cars in classrooms, ban conversations, ban curiosity? The impulse to control does not stop at smartphones; it travels on four wheels in the form of rules that slow us down, stifle spontaneity, and trap young minds in a culture of compliance.

Kids deserve to learn how to navigate the digital world with guidance, not with thought-policing. Just as a responsible driver learns to handle distractions, dangers, and decisions behind the wheel, students should be coached in media literacy, critical thinking, and safe online habits with skilled, thoughtful instruction. But the road to responsible freedom goes through trust, not prohibition. And while I’ll defend schools’ right to set sensible rules, I’ll defend every citizen’s right to move freely even more. I don’t like public transport, and I certainly don’t want bikes ruling my lanes; I want people to be free to drive—to choose their own paths, to speed when it’s safe, to test limits, and to learn from the open road. If we build a society that trusts individuals to grow through guided practice rather than punitive bans, we’ll have more capable drivers of life and less appetite for controlling, top-down rules. That is the road I refuse to abandon.