Actor Hugh Grant, known for both his film career and as a father of five, has expressed strong frustration about the increasing use of digital devices in schools. Speaking out against the integration of tablets and Chromebooks in classrooms, Grant raised concerns about children spending excessive time on screens, emphasizing his stance stems from the viewpoint of a concerned parent rather than a celebrity activist.
Grant’s long-standing involvement in digital privacy dates back to 2011 when he publicly accused journalists from the now-defunct News of the World of hacking his phone. His efforts have included winning settlements from major publishers such as Mirror Group Newspapers and News Group Newspapers, including the Sun, with his most recent victories occurring in 2024.
Frustration Over Schools’ Tablet Policies
During a panel last June, a clip resurfaced capturing Grant’s irritation with schools’ push to equip every child with Chromebooks, expecting lessons and homework to be completed digitally. He described the resulting dynamic with children as an “eternal, exhausting, and depressing battle” stemming from their increased screen use.
“And the final straw was when the schools started saying, with some smugness, ‘We give every child a Chromebook, and they do a lot of lessons on their Chromebook, and they do all their homework on their Chromebook,’”
Grant remarked. He added,
“And you just thought, that is the last f**king thing they need — and the last thing we need.”
Schools’ Defensive Reactions to Parental Concerns
Grant criticized how schools and political figures react when parents question the reliance on digital tools like Google Classroom. He highlighted the intimidating, formal tone of the communications parents receive, which seem designed more to shut down conversations than to address concerns.
“Suddenly you get letters in a kind of semi-legalese,”
Grant noted.
“And you think, ‘What is this? What happened with you and Google Classroom or whatever it might be?’”
Grant’s wariness toward institutional responses is informed by his experience confronting powerful organizations. He serves as a board member of Hacked Off, a media-reform group established after the phone-hacking scandal to campaign against illegal surveillance and press abuses.
Political Challenges and the Need for Parental Action
Although Hacked Off’s focus does not include school technology, Grant observed parallels in how authorities resist change when questioned about children’s screen time, often prioritizing political gain over child welfare.
He stated,
“I don’t think politicians ever do anything because it’s the right thing to do. Even if it’s the right thing to do to protect children. They’ll only do what gets them votes.”
Grant believes meaningful reforms will only occur once a significant number of parents rise in opposition not only to the widespread use of smartphones but also to the broader normalization of screen-based education.
“I think that once you get a critical mass of parents who are outraged by ed-tech as well as all the other issues — the phones, etcetera — that is when politicians listen,”
he explained.
“And it’s when schools start to listen because they’re scared of people leaving their schools and losing business.”
As a father of children aged between 7 and 14, Grant underscores the emotional toll that screen dependence is having on families, calling for a reevaluation of how technology fits into children’s daily lives.
