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Beautiful, Secure, Privacy-Respecting Laptops, Tablets, PCs, and Phones

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Smartphones, Kids, and Purism Devices

The recent National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) study on effectiveness of school phone bans has reignited debate over whether restricting smartphones in schools actually helps students. Its headline result—that strict bans show “close to zero” immediate impact on test scores—has been interpreted by some as evidence that regulation doesn’t work.

That interpretation misses the deeper lesson.

The researchers found that when schools adopt enforceable policies—such as requiring phones to be locked away—students really do use their phones far less during the school day. What didn’t immediately follow were dramatic gains in grades, attendance, or bullying metrics. As one of the study’s authors cautioned, however, this should not be read as a reason to abandon restrictions, especially since usage drops are real and early benefits may take time to emerge.

From a technology‑maker’s perspective, this makes intuitive sense. Boundaries change behavior first; outcomes follow later.

The problem isn’t “phones.” It’s how they’re designed.

Most mainstream smartphones are built around one goal: maximizing engagement. Notifications, feeds, infinite scroll, and behavioral tracking are not accidental features—they are the business model. Expecting children to self‑moderate against those systems is unrealistic.

That’s why at Purism we start from a different premise: a phone doesn’t have to be an abusive tracking device.

Librem devices are intentionally designed to behave more like tools than attention traps. They run PureOS, a fully free and open‑source Linux operating system that is not tied to the commercial app ecosystems of Android or iOS. There is no default ad tracking, no behavioral profiling, and no requirement to trade personal data for basic functionality. The device works for the user—not the other way around.

This distinction matters enormously when we talk about kids.

Turning impulse devices into intentional instruments

Librem phones include hardware kill switches that physically disconnect components like the camera, microphone, Wi‑Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular modem. These are not software toggles—they’re electrical cut‑offs. When the switch is off, the component is off.

That capability alone reframes the device:

• A parent or school can ensure that a phone functions only as a communications tool, not a social media hub.
• Cameras and microphones can be disabled entirely during school hours.
• Connectivity can be limited to specific, intentional use cases rather than constant engagement.
• The child is not spied upon by the entirety of Big Tech corporations, period.

In other words, regulation doesn’t have to mean confiscation. It can mean designing devices that make self‑regulation possible.

Fewer incentives to distract

Because Librem phones are not built around surveillance advertising, they lack many of the features that drive compulsive behavior: algorithmic feeds, engagement‑optimized notifications, and opaque analytics. Applications are traditional Linux software, often task‑oriented rather than attention‑oriented.

This design encourages a fundamentally different relationship with technology. A Librem phone is closer to a portable computer or secure communicator than an entertainment platform engineered to interrupt you every few minutes.

That’s why we say these devices behave more like tools: you pick them up to do something specific, and then you put them down.

Benefits for kids, families, and schools

Used thoughtfully, phones like the Librem 5 can support legitimate needs without undermining learning or well‑being:

• Safety and coordination without constant online exposure
• Access to educational resources without algorithmic manipulation
• Respect for privacy during formative years, when children should not be treated as data sources
• Clear physical controls that make rules enforceable and understandable

The NBER study reinforces an important truth: rules alone are not enough. Environment and design matter. Removing phones from classrooms reduces usage—but redesigning phones reduces the pressure to use them compulsively in the first place.

A smarter middle ground

The debate should not be framed as “ban phones” versus “do nothing.” We need proportional, developmentally informed regulation—and technology that supports it.

School phone restrictions can protect attention during learning hours. Privacy‑first, purpose‑built devices can ensure that when children do carry phones, those devices are servants, not masters.

If we want better long‑term outcomes than any single study can measure in a year or two, we need to stop asking children to out‑discipline trillion‑dollar engagement engines—and instead give them tools that respect their attention, autonomy, and growth.

Technology should help kids build their future, not monetize their childhood.

Purism Products and Availability Chart

	Model	Status	Lead Time
	Librem Key (Made in USA)	In Stock ($59+)	10 business days	Learn More Buy Now
	Liberty Phone (Made in USA Electronics)	Available on backorder ($1,999+) 4GB/128GB	n/a	Learn More Buy Now
	Librem 5	In Stock ($799+) 3GB/32GB	10 business days	Learn More Buy Now
	Librem 11	Out of stock	New Version in Development	Coming Soon
	Librem 14	Out of stock	New Version in Development	Coming Soon
	Librem Mini	Out of stock	New Version in Development	Coming Soon
	Librem Server	In Stock ($2,999+)	45 business days	Learn More Buy Now
	Librem PQC Encryptor	Available Now, contact sales@puri.sm	90 business days	Learn More Contact Us
	Librem PQC Comms Server	Available Now, contact sales@puri.sm	90 business days	Learn More Contact Us