Phone-Free Policies Expand in Schools and Live Events

Efforts to reduce mobile phone use in public spaces have grown across schools and entertainment venues, with policies now affecting millions of students and concertgoers in multiple countries.

Lockable pouches and outright bans are being used to limit phone access during live performances and throughout the school day. In September, Sir Paul McCartney required all attendees at a California concert to secure their phones in lockable pouches for the entire event. Other artists, such as Dave Chappelle, Alicia Keys, Guns N’ Roses, and Madonna, have also restricted or criticized phone use during shows.

Yondr, a company established in 2014, manufactures magnetic lockable pouches that are now common at concerts, schools, and courtrooms. More than 2 million students in the United States use these pouches during school hours to prevent mobile phone access. Some schools in the San Francisco Unified School District require students to secure their phones in these pouches at the start of the day, and one school reported a 17% increase in English proficiency after implementing the policy.

At Hampshire Regional High School, a pilot program using Yondr pouches resulted in 90.8% of educators stating they no longer needed to interrupt lessons to address cellphone issues. In Milwaukee, a high school has collected students’ phones each morning since 2018, with teachers reporting increased student focus and more social interaction during the school day.

What the numbers show

• More than 2 million U.S. students use Yondr pouches at school
• 31 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. require school districts to limit or ban phones in K-12 classrooms as of October 2025
• 68% of U.S. adults support banning cell phone use during class in middle and high schools, according to a 2024 survey
• One San Francisco school reported a 17% improvement in English proficiency after introducing phone pouches

Internationally, similar measures are being adopted. In France, Lycée Michelet near Paris introduced a ban on mobile phones in all indoor school areas in April 2025. The French national legislature is currently debating a proposal for a nationwide ban on mobile phones in high schools.

State-level policies in the United States have also expanded. As of October 2025, 31 states and Washington, D.C. required school districts to restrict or ban phone use in K-12 classrooms. Including broader district-level policies, at least 34 states and D.C. had such measures in place.

Public opinion in the United States reflects support for these restrictions. A 2024 Pew Research Center survey found that 68% of adults favored banning cell phone use during class in middle and high schools. This support has coincided with the adoption of policies in both schools and entertainment venues.

Artists and schools continue to adopt phone-free policies, using tools like lockable pouches or collection systems to enforce restrictions. These approaches are being used to promote focus and reduce distractions in both educational and entertainment settings.

* This article is based on publicly available information at the time of writing.