Poland bans smartphones in primary schools and mandates age checks for porn sites
The Polish government adopted a package of child protection laws on Tuesday, prohibiting smartphones in primary schools from September and requiring online platforms to verify users' age before showing adult content.
Smartphone ban in primary schools
From 1 September 2026, students in public and non-public primary schools will be prohibited from using mobile phones and other recording devices during lessons and breaks, both on school premises and during school‑organised activities off site. Exceptions cover teacher‑authorised educational use, health or disability needs, and emergencies.
We introduced certain exceptions: those concerning health, safety, and when a teacher decides that use of the phone is necessary for the didactic or care‑educational process.
Minister of Education Barbara Nowacka said the ban responds to teachers’ explicit demands, noting that over half of schools already enforce such a prohibition and that 85 % of society supports it. Secondary schools may adopt their own rules in statutes.
Online age verification and illeal content
A separate bill requires providers of pornographic content to implement age verification mechanisms. The goal is to block minors’ access, with the government citing research that the average age of first contact with pornography in Poland is under 11. Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski stressed the verification will be anonymous.
We are introducing effective and fully anonymous age verification, without violating privacy. The state will not know what sites citizens visit. Services will not receive users' personal data. We only confirm adulthood, nothing more.
The law creates a public register of domains that fail to comply; those will be blocked. Platforms face fines of up to 1 million złoty, imposed by the President of the Office of Electronic Communications (UKE). Companies can appeal blocking decisions to court. A European Digital Identity Wallet is among the recommended verification methods.
Criticism and unresolved definitions
A major gap remains: the bill does not define “pornographic content.” The UKE president, the Ombudsman, and the Children’s Ombudsman all flagged this, warning that it could lead to arbitrary enforcement. An earlier 2025 draft also drew opposition from the President of the Office for Personal Data Protection, who argued it threatened privacy and constitutional rights. The government shelved the project for over a year and has now returned with only minimal corrections.
Bipartisan support on phones
Former PiS education minister Krzysztof Szczucki, now an opposition MP, endorsed the smartphone ban despite his criticism of the government.
As for the guiding idea, I am for it. I think smartphones in schools generate a lot of problems.
The bills now move to the Sejm, where the ruling coalition hopes for broad political and social support.
What comes next
Both drafts will be debated in parliament. If enacted, the smartphone ban takes effect at the start of the coming school year. Platform providers will be given time to adopt age‑verification systems, with the exact technical standards left to the industry — though the ministry recommends the European Digital Identity Wallet.
