The city of Seine-Port has a population of fewer than 2,000 people. Recently, residents voted yes to ban smartphone use in public spaces, Reuters reports. The aim is for people to give each other more time and attention. – I want to protect public spaces from the smartphone invasion, says mayor Paul-Petit. A total of 277 people participated in the vote and the yes side won with 54 percent of the votes. It will now be forbidden to scroll on your mobile when walking along the street and sitting in restaurants or other public places. If you as a tourist get lost, you are encouraged to ask the locals for directions, according to The Guardian. – We put this sticker on our window to let people know that human contact is very important in our meat shop. Sometimes people stay on the phone in the shop and don’t even say hello, says Sébastien Quenoillère, butcher. No screens in bedrooms The city has also introduced a statute for families that regulates children’s screen use. There must be no screens of any kind in the morning or before the children go to bed. There must not even be any screens in the bedrooms. There will also be the possibility of a written agreement for teenage parents not to give their children a smartphone before the age of 15. If you sign the agreement, the municipality will provide the children with an older phone that is only for calls. – I’m all for this. Some say it’s an attack on freedom, but I don’t think so. It’s about raising awareness of the impact of phones on our lives, Ludivine, 34, who has two children, told The Guardian. Will not be prosecuted The police will not stop or fine people who violate the ban. The mayor instead describes it as a call to stop scrolling and a way to limit phone use. But not everyone is positive about the change. – I will continue to use my phone because I am free to do so, says Jacqueline, a resident of Seine-Port.
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