Mexico's Sheinbaum proposes school cell‑phone and social‑media rules
President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that the Mexican government will present a proposal to regulate the use of cell phones, social‑media and other digital platforms in basic‑education schools before the end of August 2026, ahead of the 2026‑2027 school year. The plan will be built through national and regional forums that gather experts, teachers, parents and students, with the aim of creating a consensus‑based policy. Sheinbaum said the goal is not to ban devices outright but to promote responsible use and protect children’s mental health, noting that platform designs – infinite scroll, auto‑play videos, algorithmic recommendations and constant notifications – foster addiction.
Experts such as Jonathan Haidt and Arturo Béjar have recommended banning phones during school hours and raising the minimum age for social‑media accounts to 16 years. Seventy percent of Mexican parents support restricting cell‑phone use in schools, and 16 states already have local regulations. The Secretary of Education, Mario Delgado Carrillo, said the SEP will decide within the month whether to impose a restriction, with a decision expected by the end of August. The proposal is framed as a collective decision rather than an imposed mandate.
Entities: Arturo Béjar · Claudia Sheinbaum · Jonathan Haidt · Mario Delgado · Mario Delgado Carrillo · Mexican government · Mexico
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 4 SOURCES] The decision on the school‑cell‑phone regulation is expected by the end of August 2026. (Sheinbaum timeline)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The proposal will be discussed in national forums involving parents, teachers, students and experts. (Sheinbaum described a series of regional forums organised by the SEP.)
- [● 6 SOURCES] Experts recommend raising the minimum age for creating social‑media accounts to 16 years. (Expert recommendation)
- [● 5 SOURCES] Experts say platform features such as infinite scroll, auto‑play videos, algorithmic recommendations, constant notifications, popularity counters and social‑comparison tools are designed to create add (Experts including Jonathan Haidt and Arturo Béjar described these mechanisms.)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Approximately 70 % of Mexican parents support restricting cell‑phone use in schools. (Sheinbaum data)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Some social‑media users accuse the regulation plan of paving the way for censorship of online content. (Critics on social media expressed this view after Sheinbaum’s announcement.)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The SEP will decide within the month whether to restrict cell‑phone use in schools. (SEP statement)
- [● 7 SOURCES] The Mexican government will present a proposal to regulate cell‑phone and social‑media use in schools before the start of the 2026‑2027 school year. (Sheinbaum announcement)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Sixteen Mexican states already have regulations limiting cell‑phone use in schools. (Sheinbaum data)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The regulation aims to protect mental health and address addiction mechanisms such as infinite scroll, auto‑play, algorithmic recommendations and notifications. (Sheinbaum statement)
- [● 2 SOURCES] National and regional forums are being held to gather input from experts, parents, teachers and students. (Sheinbaum announcement)