Time for new National policies on cell phone usage?

[FireStone]

Our council summer camp is notoriously strict about cell phones in camp. Scouts are forbidden from having them at all, any scouts who bring one to camp are supposed to have it confiscated by their troop leaders, and camp staff confiscate phones if they see scouts with them around camp. 

Adults are strongly discouraged from having phones in view of scouts. So much so that even taking pictures is frowned upon. 

Even smart watches (like the Apple watch) are prohibited for scouts and strongly discouraged for adults. 

Meanwhile, at Jambo phones are pretty much a necessity. Phones are actually encouraged there, plus there's an event app, and a lot of the activities utilize connected technology as part of the experience (scanning QR codes, pulling up information), as well as for taking pictures, accessing schedules and event info, and of course communicating both at the event with your troop and contacting parents back home. 

As more and more scouting materials go digital (like merit badge pamphlets), this all seems to frequently beg the question: 

Is it time for National to set new guidelines for cell phone usage that puts the decision entirely with the troop? 

Similar to how we have received better uniform and clothing guidelines from National, I think it's time we got some more clear and up-to-date guidance on phone policies and technology usage in general throughout the organization. Along with empowering troops who want to ease off the restrictive policies to do so at their own discretion, without camps being able to impose blanket bans and harsh restrictions for youth and adults. 

Even in troops that want to maintain a limit on phone usage, I think we could at least be a little more nuanced about how phone policies are applied. Blanket bans seem to miss an opportunity to encourage appropriate and helpful use of technology in scouting environments. And when those bans even apply to the adults, I think it's a significant overstep. 

It also seems ironic to me that we're rolling out MBs like AI and cybersecurity while at the same time telling scouts they can't even have a phone on a trip at all. 

Edited 55 minutes ago by FireStone