Internet Use by Brazilian Students in Schools Drops Significantly Following New Cell Phone Law

Significant Decline in School Internet Access

A new study, the 'Tic Kids Online Brasil 2025', has reported a notable decrease in internet usage by Brazilian children and adolescents aged 9 to 17 within school environments. The proportion of students in this age group accessing the internet at school dropped from 51% in 2024 to 37% in 2025. This finding, released by the Regional Center for Studies for the Development of the Information Society (Cetic.br), part of the Brazilian Network Information Center (NIC.br), suggests a direct correlation with a recently implemented national law restricting cell phone use in schools.

New Law Restricts Mobile Device Use

The decline in school-based internet use coincides with the enactment of Law 15.100/2025, signed by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on January 13, 2025. This legislation prohibits the use of portable electronic devices, including cell phones, in both public and private elementary, middle, and high school classrooms, as well as during breaks and intervals nationwide. The law came into effect for the 2025 school year, which commenced in most Brazilian states between February 3 and February 10.

Exceptions to the ban include usage for pedagogical activities under teacher supervision, accessibility needs, health-related requirements, or in situations of danger or necessity. The Ministry of Education (MEC) issued guidelines on January 31, 2025, to assist schools in implementing the new regulations. President Lula emphasized the law's aim to foster a return to humanism and enhance focus on learning, stating, 'We need to return to a focus on humanism, ensuring it is not replaced by algorithms.' The bill was authored by Renan Ferreirinha, Rio de Janeiro's Municipal Secretary of Education and a federal representative.

Broader Trends in Digital Habits

The 'Tic Kids Online Brasil 2025' study, which surveyed 2,370 children and adolescents and an equal number of parents/guardians between March and September 2025, also provided insights into broader internet usage trends. While school internet access decreased, the overall proportion of Brazilian children and adolescents aged 9 to 17 who are internet users remained relatively stable at 92%, a slight dip from 93% in 2024.

Key findings include:

• Mobile phones remain the primary device for internet access, cited by 96% of respondents.
• 84% of users access the internet from home multiple times a day.
• The number of children and adolescents who reported never having accessed the internet increased from 492,393 in 2024 to 710,343 in 2025.
• Other contributing factors to the decline in school internet use include a broader political debate surrounding the protection of children and adolescents in the digital environment.

Luísa Adib, coordinator of the Tic Kids survey, noted that the data collection began in March, after the cell phone restriction measure had been implemented, indicating a clear relationship between the new law and the observed decline. The study suggests that internet access at school and social media use among younger age groups are returning to levels observed before the pandemic.