TNW 436: What 40,000 Schools Tell Us About Phone Bans - Do Phone Bans in School Really Benefits Students?

TNW 436: What 40,000 Schools Tell Us About Phone Bans - Do Phone Bans in School Really Benefits Students?

Author: TWiT May 8, 2026 Duration: 1:16:15

Abrar Al-Heeti of CNET joins the show this week! The Oscars implement new rules with limits placed on the use of AI. Apple is set to pay $250 million to settle allegations about the capabilities of AI on its iPhones. Does tech suck now? And a study into the ban of cellphone use in schools shows mixed results in students' behavior and overall academic performance.

  • Abrar talks about how the Oscars announced new eligibility guidelines for awards, requiring that roles & screenplays must be conducted by humans, stopping short of a ban on the use of AI in films nominated.
  • Mikah shares how Apple must pay $250 million to settle class action lawsuits that allege the company misled customers on the capabilities of AI on its iPhones that never fully shipped as promised.
  • Andrew Lanxon of CNET joins the show to discuss whether modern technology is genuinely getting worse or if some of us are simply becoming harder to please as we get older.
  • And Mikah talks about a study that looks at schools restricting student use of cellphones during the day and the mixed results in improving students' behavior and in their academics overall.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Abrar Al-Heeti

Guest: Andrew Lanxon

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Every Thursday, Mikah Sargent gathers with the reporters and writers who are actually on the ground covering the biggest shifts in the industry. This Tech News Weekly (Audio) podcast from TWiT moves beyond the headlines for a deeper conversation about the stories that matter. You’ll hear from the journalists themselves about how a story broke, the nuances that got lost in the initial rush, and what it all might mean for the future. It’s a direct line to the freshest perspectives and context you often miss, helping to make sense of the relentless pace of innovation, policy, and corporate moves. Rather than just summarizing the news, these discussions dig into the how and why, offering a more complete picture of the week in tech. Tune in for a consistently insightful analysis that feels like you’re in the room with the people who know these narratives inside and out. New episodes record live each Thursday, ready to give your understanding of the tech landscape a meaningful edge.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 16

Tech News Weekly (Audio)
Podcast Episodes
TNW 439: Can Apple's New Siri Catch Up? - iOS 27 Siri AI Overhaul [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:00
Dan Moren from sixcolors.com joins Mikah Sargent this week on Tech News Weekly. A new report from Mark Gurman highlights new details for iOS 27. A look into a trend in London involving phone thefts & the lengths they go…