The city of Saint-Port, with a population of less than 2,000, voted in a referendum last weekend to restrict the use of smartphones in public places, banning adults and children from scrolling on their phones while walking, outside or sitting with others. on a park bench, in a cafe or while eating in restaurants. Those who can look at Google Maps on their phone when they don’t know a direction are encouraged to ask for directions instead, reports Guardian.

The village also approved a set of rules for families regarding children’s use of electronic devices: no screens in the morning, no screens in bedrooms, no screens before bed or during meals. If the teenager’s parents sign a written agreement not to give the child a smartphone until the age of 15, the city hall will provide the child with an old-style phone for calls only.

“I fully support it,” said Ludwine, 34, who has two children, ages one and four. “Some say that this is an attack on freedoms, but I don’t think so. It’s about raising awareness about the impact of phones on our lives,” she added.

In total, 277 people came to vote – approximately 20% of voters, of which 54% spoke in favor of the new local resolution. Mayor Vincent Paul-Pety of the right-wing Republicans party will now draft a municipal ordinance on smartphone use, the first of its kind in France.