Signals

UK – British private school Eton College has announced a new policy banning incoming pupils from bringing smartphones to school from September. Instead, the school will provide pupils with basic Nokia handsets for texts and calls only. 

The new policy follows similar initiatives at other schools, such as Brighton College, which will ban internet-enabled phones for year seven pupils, Alleyn’s in Dulwich, which has advised parents to buy 'dumbphones' for their children and John Wallis Church of England Academy in Kent, which requires pupils too place their phones in magnetically sealed pouches.

Despite this, only 11% of schools in England and Wales fully separate students from their phones throughout the school day, underscoring the need for broader implementation (source: Policy Exchange).

 In our Teens, Tech and Tapping Out market report, we analysed the renewed scrutiny on global teens’ relationships with their phones and the smartphone-free zones and detox initiatives being implemented to protect young people’s mental well-being.

Every Friday, we offer an end-of-week wrap-up of the topics, issues, ideas, and virals we’re all talking about. This week, deputy foresight editor Dan Hastings tackles transphobia, Miranda Priestly's comeback and Inside Out 2's suppressed emotions.

: As two trans women were just murdered in France this week, I'm reminded of how the vitriol the trans community receives every single day from politicians and transphobes is only the tip of the iceberg. Mirror on Transgender People, a new report by Channel 4, shows that just one in every 10 transgender people feels brands are supportive of their community. It also indicates brands are reluctant to work with members of the community due to fear of backlash. To the brands that just celebrated Pride Month and put rainbows everywhere on their socials, I say: you're either with or against us. There is no LGB without the T 

: A sequel? For spring? Groundbreaking. The iconic 2006 comedy The Devil Wears Prada is getting its own sequel with key cast and crew widely expected to return, including Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt and director David Frankel. As a proper Millennial who is into fashion, I find this movie so sacred that I wonder if it really needed a sequel. This overconsumption mindset for content does not always bring quality to our screens

: In other news, Vox's analysis of the success of Sonny Angels is a fascinating read; I highly recommend this Ted Talk from luxury thought leader Rylé Tuvierra on how she was detained and molested in Dubai for being trans despite her accomplishments and Nicolas Cage being ‘terrified’ of AI after being digitally scanned for Spider-Man Noir is very relatable. ‘I don’t want you to do anything with my face and body when I’m dead,’ he said. That's why we need more responsible AI!