this post was submitted on 11 Feb 2024
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Fighting the smartphone ‘invasion’: the French village that voted to ban scrolling in public (www.theguardian.com)
submitted 9 months ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world
67 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Seine-Port is introducing restrictions on phone use in streets, shops and parks – but young people say there’s little else to do

A picture of a smartphone with a red line through it serves as a warning in the window of a hairdresser’s shop in a French village that has voted to ban people scrolling on their phones in public. “Everyone is struggling with too much screen time,” said Ludivine, a cardiology nurse, as she had her hair cut into a bob, leaving her phone out of sight in her bag. “I voted in favour, this could be a solution.”

Seine-Port, in the Seine-et-Marne area south of Paris, with a population of fewer than 2,000 people, last weekend voted yes in a referendum to restrict smartphone use in public, banning adults and children from scrolling on their devices while walking down the street, while sitting with others on a park bench, while in shops, cafes or eating in restaurants and while parents wait for their children in front of the school gates. Those who might check their phone’s map when lost are instead being encouraged to ask for directions.

The village has also approved a charter for families on children’s use of screens: no screens of any kind in the morning, no screens in bedrooms, no screens before bed or during meals. If parents of teenagers sign a written agreement not to give their child a smartphone before the age of 15, the town hall will provide the child with an old-fashioned handset for calls only.

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[–] conciselyverbose@kbin.social 6 points 9 months ago (1 children)

This is absurd. People run into each other occasionally, with or without cell phones.

This isn't a minor violation. It's completely, unforgivably, obscene. There's no possible scenario where it could possibly be justified or forgiven, and no possible scenario where a government could possibly be excused in having that authority.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 4 points 9 months ago (1 children)

This isn’t a minor violation. It’s completely, unforgivably, obscene.

I think you're being a little hyperbolic here. They aren't rounding up people and arresting them for pulling their phones out of their pockets. The article literally says-

It is not enforceable by police – officers could not stop or fine people scrolling in the street because there is no national law against smartphones – but the mayor describes it as an incitement to stop scrolling and guidance for limiting phone use.

And the majority of the town voted for it.

So I'm really not seeing the issue here.

[–] conciselyverbose@kbin.social 4 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I'm not. I'm dead serious.

Having the law on the books, without enforcement, should get their charter revoked. It is not acceptable.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 4 points 9 months ago (1 children)

If you are dead serious, and a non-enforceable ordinance that a majority of the voted in favor of in a democratic election is "completely, unforgivably, obscene," I guess you're more a fan of dictatorships.

[–] conciselyverbose@kbin.social 5 points 9 months ago (1 children)

It doesn't matter if every single person in the town voted to put a rule on the books taking away a basic freedom.

Opposing aggressively authoritarian violations of basic human autonomy is not supporting dictatorship. There are some things a government unconditionally should not have the capacity to restrict. Being a modern human using basic modern tools is one of them.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world -1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Again- no one's freedom is being taken away. You can stand in the middle of town and spend hours looking straight at your phone and not a single person can do a thing to stop you.

I agree that there are some things a government shouldn't have the capacity to restrict. Nothing is being restricted here.

[–] conciselyverbose@kbin.social 4 points 9 months ago (1 children)

The fact that the law is on the books is a restriction completely independent of any enforcement.

It cannot possibly be acceptable.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world -1 points 9 months ago

I'm sorry, you're getting worked up over a nothingburger and acting like a small town in France is akin to North Korea or something.