A French city has banned the use of mobile phones in public spaces after its residents approved it in a referendum.
The measure was taken by Seine-Port, a city on the outskirts of Paris, to combat the impact of these devices on people’s lives.
Asking “Do you support the new common guide to the good use of screens?”, the government decided to ask residents if they were willing to stop using their phones on the streets.
Although the vote only had a 20% turnout, the “yes” vote won with 54% of the vote.
Seine-Port Mayor Vincent Paul-Petit said he expects a much more overwhelming result, but acknowledged that many consider the measure very intrusive.
“People have the impression that we are interfering in their lives. I do not want that! But there is a public health problem. We must help them,” he said in a statement carried by Le Parisien newspaper.
This would be the first time a city has made such a decision against cell phones.
In this way, the elected mayor will issue an order prohibiting the use of the devices in front of schools, businesses, on the street and at gatherings in public spaces.
However, the measure does not provide for a penalty in the event that a person does not comply with this restriction, so this ban is actually symbolic.
The measure divided the populationl
The cell phone ban divided residents of Seine-Port because many believe that a mayor cannot intervene in people’s private lives and in the family upbringing of children.
All this because the government distributed a letter asking parents to ban all screens (TVs, cell phones, tablets and video games) at all times.
In addition, the Seine-Port mayor’s office has committed to creating sports fields and a film club for children and young people to spend their free time.
“Children are being lobotomized by their smartphones, which is separating them from reality, from the connection with their families,” said one of the measure’s supporters.
The story of the population banning cell phones sparked a whole debate on the networks about whether a government can really intervene in people’s lives in this way.
The truth is that the impact that social networks have on the mental health of children and young people raises concerns in various areas.
The problem has reached such proportions that the city of New York declared social media a “threat” to public health when analyzing its impact on young people.
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