Lisbon, Sept. 2, 2026 (Lusa) - Two out of every three Portuguese children and young people either support the freedom to bring mobile phones to school or hope that schools will not enforce a ban, according to the EU Kids Online 2025 report, which Lusa had access to.

Among the 2,111 pupils aged between nine and 17 surveyed for the report «New uses, new risks? Digital rights of children and young people (aged 9–17)», four in ten say their school has no rule prohibiting mobile phones and hope that such a ban will not be introduced.

Half state that such a rule exists, with 26% agreeing and 25% preferring a different approach.

Support for allowing mobile phones is particularly strong amongst young people aged 15 to 17: 64% say there is no such rule and hope it remains that way, and eight in ten prefer not to have a ban on bringing mobile phones to school.

Among 9– to 11–year-olds, by contrast, 76% say the rule exists, according to the report, in line with the legislative framework, which since 1 September 2025 has prohibited mobile communication devices with internet access in the first and second cycles of primary education.

When the rule presented to pupils states that mobile phones may be brought to school, but only used in emergencies or for health reasons, opinions are almost evenly split: 49% agree, and 51% disagree.

At the same time, the report shows an increase in teachers' involvement in pupils' digital practices.

Between 2018 and 2025, the proportion of teachers who suggest how to use the internet safely rose from 33% to 44%, whilst the proportion of those who set rules rose from 34% to 43%.

The proportion of teachers who support pupils when an ‘online' situation upsets them rose from 16% to 37%.

Although schools increasingly guide and regulate digital practices, specific discussions about the reliability of sources, what pupils do in the digital environment, or how to manage screen time remain less frequent.

PYR/ADB // ADB.

Lusa