Should phones be banned from concerts? Fred Again's tour has tapped into a global movement of people wanting to unplug at events that's grown 567%, according to new data and I want to know where you stand

Date:
Thu, 30 Apr 2026 13:15:48 +0000

Description:
Did you mind Fred Agains USB002 tour being smartphone free? Weigh in on the
no phone debate.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter British artist Fred again.. has made good on a promise to give concert attendees access to a Dropbox of
videos and photos from his USB002 tour after discouraging the use of phones
at the gigs and the pics are so much better for it (just take a look at the example above).

Yes, there is the odd glowing phone screen being waved around that cuts through the otherwise tech-free crowd of people concert goers only had to cover their smartphone lenses with a sticker but it hardly takes away from the wider message it's making about being present and enjoying the moment. Encouraging people to connect and enjoy shared experiences has become a growing cultural movement off the back of social media bans and digital detoxes. Data from online ticketing platform Eventbrite shows there was a
567% increase in phone-free experiences in 2025, with 49% of Gen Z and Millennials saying they want less curation and more real moments. Article continues below You may like Photographers still love viewfinders, but this camera trend is failing them Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra's Privacy Display could hold a social problem Fairphone's Nature Report shows the worrying environmental impact of phones

Theres no denying that those opposed to phone bans are often the loudest. You don't have to go far to see them, crowding out front of a trendy cafs,
tourist spots, or street art backdrops. That need to document the experience, which seems to be as important as the experience itself for social currency reasons (see the Reddit thread below for an example of the sort of arguments that are made for it around social currency), is exactly why some venues are now taking a firmer stance on smartphones. Thoughts on the sticker policy
from r/fredagain While no-phone policies have long existed in places like Berlin clubs or certain tourist attractions, stricter rules are becoming more common elsewhere, too. From proposed smartphone restrictions in UK schools to bans in places like Indian tiger reserves , its clear concerts aren't the
only spaces where people are reconsidering the role of screens. Would you go to a phone-free concert? Have your say Would you go to a concert with no phone? (Image credit: Theo Batterham) I was most recently reminded of the no phone movement at Ronnie Scotts, the famous jazz bar in London, where I was told no photos were allowed. As someone who doesn't feel the need to document every moment of my life but loves photography, especially for capturing big life moments, I was slightly gutted I couldnt take a picture for a friends birthday.

Of course, I could have brought something more discreet like Meta Ray-Bans to sneak a shot (not that I own a pair) or simply snapped a pic outside on my film camera, but that raises another question entirely: should there be exceptions? Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up
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Where does this all leave us? Should gigs be fully phone-free? Should there
be exceptions? Or are we already too far gone to meaningfully reverse course? Let me know what you think in the comments below, and vote in our poll below. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Replace this check in here for a relevant ecomms block to include. If none, include a Hawk widget instead



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/phones/should-phones-be-banned-from-concerts-fred-ag ains-tour-has-tapped-into-a-global-movement-of-people-wanting-to-unplug-at-eve nts-thats-grown-567-percent-according-to-new-data-and-i-want-to-know-where-you -stand


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