Viennese neurobiologist Bernd Hufnagl is opposed to a complete ban on children's mobile phone use. He believes that banning mobile phones is not only ineffective, but may be counterproductive. Hufnagl calls for media literacy to be included in school curriculum so that children can learn how to use and understand digital media correctly. He said: "Banning mobile phones will not solve the problem, but will make children crave it more. We need to cultivate children's media literacy so that they know how to filter and process information."
Risk of social isolation
Hufnagl pointed out that a complete ban on mobile phone use will lead to children being isolated socially. He used his own daughter as an example, explaining that if she was completely deprived of the right to use a mobile phone, she would feel excluded because most of the social communication of modern teenagers is carried out through digital media. Hufnagl stressed: "Banning mobile phone use is actually excluding our children from society."
The addictive nature of mobile phone use and the role model of parents
Hufnagl mentioned that the use of mobile phones and tablets is highly addictive, which is why many parents use these devices to calm their children in restaurants, beaches and even at home. He explained: "This addiction is because they activate the brain's reward system, just like a mouse pressing a reward button until it dies." He also pointed out that the role model of parents is very important, and many children learn the habit of constantly using mobile phones from their parents.
The use of signal jammers
When talking about how to manage mobile phone use in schools, Hufnagl proposed the installation of jammers. He believes that using mobile phones in class will distract students and affect learning results. Therefore, he recommends installing jammers in every school to block mobile phone signals and ensure that students can concentrate on listening in class. He said: "Such a jammer only costs ten euros and can effectively block signal reception. I will install a jammer in every school."
Other solutions
Hufnagl also mentioned that in addition to using jammers, schools and parents should also actively interact with children and cultivate their other interests and hobbies, such as music and sports. This will not only help reduce dependence on mobile phones, but also promote the all-round development of children. He shared a story: "A workshop participant told me that because there was no network signal, she played with building blocks with her four-year-old grandson. Two years later, although the network signal improved, the grandson still preferred to play with building blocks with his grandmother rather than playing with his mobile phone."
Conclusion
Hufnagl's point of view provides us with a new perspective for thinking. He believes that simple prohibition measures cannot solve the problem. Instead, education and technical means are needed to manage and guide children to use mobile phones correctly. By cultivating media literacy and installing jammers, schools can effectively manage mobile phone use without depriving children of their social rights. This comprehensive solution can not only protect children's attention and learning environment, but also prevent them from being isolated socially, providing a guarantee for their all-round development.
