As the 2026 school year enters its final term, there is growing tension over next year’s blanket ban on digital devices in all schools, with expert concerns about digital wellbeing butting up against student fears over autonomy, accessibility and equity.  

The Victorian State Government confirmed this year that, as of January 2027, all public, private and religious schools will require students to switch off and store smartphones, smartwatches and wireless headphones during school hours. The move expands the 2020 ban already enforced in government schools, making Victoria the first state to outlaw wearable technology on school grounds.  

Educational and developmental psychologist Jesse Diggins said the policy reflected the mounting evidence that digital devices are deteriorating childhoods by undermining attention, sleep and social development. In an article Diggins authored last year, he warned that modern platforms were “engineered to be addictive”, describing the rise of device-centred childhoods as a “deal with the devil”.  

“The callouts about impact on attention capacity, sleep, and social capabilities are all valid, and it’s a valid conclusion to expect improvements,” Diggins said.  

He also noted that universal rules could ease pressure on parents who struggle to enforce limits when their child’s peers have devices they don’t.  

“When you have a cumulative action like this, there’s a lot less resistance for families to deal with,” he said.  

However, Diggins cautioned that bans must be developmentally appropriate, particularly for older students. Senior students are expected to learn to manage their emerging independence and require the opportunity to learn to cope with device temptation. 

“I think that the younger the student, the more typical it is that adults impose restrictions and the autonomy of a student is restricted. And that, typically, if you look at secondary schools and the privileges and autonomy, it sort of increases as kids age,” he said. 

Year 12 student Lewis Morrison, from North Geelong Secondary College, said the ban overlooks how heavily public schools already rely on digital tools for learning.  

“We are already so reliant on computers … being able to Google stuff, get feedback, watch things for media,” he said.  

While the ban does not stretch to laptops or computers, Morrison said removing personal devices could disrupt learning rather than improve it, particularly for students who use headphones to manage focus or sensory overload.  

“Some kids have legitimate stuff from psychologists saying they’re allowed headphones … it helps them zone out and focus,” he said.  

However, Diggins rebuts the belief that music improves study performance, arguing it is often overstated.  

“It’s a bit of a myth that listening to music aids studying … for the most part, it’s not conducive to productivity,” he said.  

The ban has some exemptions, for example, students who need a device or wearable to monitor a medical condition are exempt.

Morrison fears the ban risks creating a school environment that feels overwhelmingly controlling.  

“My school already very much leans towards the surveillance state … they basically police-state my computer,” he said. 

He also warned the ban could exacerbate existing inequalities between public and private schools, as resources that private school students have access to, public school students are required to supplement with their own phones.  

“There already is a class divide when it comes to those private schools, especially, like Kardinia (International College), they have private school tuition money. They have infinitely more accessibility to stuff like that than we do. It would push our learning even further apart.” 

A number of Geelong schools, including Kardinia International College, Christian College, Covenant College and Geelong Grammar, were asked to comment, but declined.