Why are “no phones” policies becoming increasingly popular?

Five years ago, we released a documentary called INSTA DJ | Social Media and the New Age Dancefloor that explored the impact of smartphones and social media on club music. It featured artists like Carl Cox, Danny Howard, Annie Mac and other industry folk, who discussed the advantages and disadvantages of people filming dance floors and DJs with their phones, and how this affected both the atmosphere of parties and DJ culture generally. Looking back, the general consensus was that smartphones and social media—in the context of nightlife—were difficult subjects, with passionate views on both sides. 

Four years on, these questions and debates have only intensified. Social media and filming at gigs have become even more central to DJ culture, while at the same time, an increased number of clubs are adopting “no phones” policies, which now includes a number of notable Ibiza venues. After trialing it at their Monday night events, Pikes recently introduced this policy seven days a week, in order for punters and DJs to “feel as comfortable as if they were at a friend’s house party, with the freedom to dance, sing, jump, squeal, shout and celebrate however they like.” 

In May, Damian Lazarus announced that he would encourage a phone-free dance floor at his joint residency with Black Coffee in Hï Ibiza across the summer. “From open to close we take pride in creating a totally unique environment, centered around the mystical Temple,” Lazarus wrote on Instagram. “It’s a proper session where we lose our inhibitions and can enjoy a sense of freedom as we enforce our groundbreaking ‘No Phones’ policy inside the room.” A month later, fellow Hï resident James Hype announced that his summer series, Our House, in the Club Room of Hï will also operate a “no phones” policy. Hï is currently DJ Mag’s #1 club in the world, which made the introduction of these policies big news. 

This seems to be the continuation of a trend that’s been developing for years in more “underground” parties. Berghain in Berlin is the most famous example, wanting to protect the privacy of its punters, while the Berlin club community generally has embraced this mentality in most venues across the city. 

However, it’s a complicated situation for some DJs, who benefit from user-generated content from events on social media, helping to grow their reach and grow their profile, but also want people to be in the moment and not on their phones. It’s also leading to heated debate among audiences, along with viral “then vs now” videos, like this one from the UK DJ Steve Lawler, who compared the difference between a phone-free crowd in 2001 to an audience in Amnesia in 2023. 

This is a far-reaching topic, so we decided to focus on a particular aspect of it: the policies themselves, and how attitudes towards these policies differ around the world. 

For James Hype, it’s about trying to create immersive dance floor experiences

“I wanted to create an immersive setting for the crowd and present them with an opportunity to fully engage in the atmosphere of the show, which we all noticed has been really lacking with the overuse of phones in the clubs,” James Hype said via email. “It gives me the opportunity to engage with the crowd, as holding a phone creates a disengagement with me on stage and within the crowd itself… all for the sake of a few videos people will never watch again.”

James’s YouTube channel, which documents his life on the road and his thoughts on touring, recently released a video called BAN PHONES IN NIGHTCLUBS. In it, he explained his take on the issue and included a clip of his first phone-free party in Hï. Still, we couldn’t help but notice phones bobbing in the air filming James at work.

“[The policy] isn’t a need, it’s an ask,” James said. “The reception of challenging this has been met with mostly positive feedback. We don’t strive for 100% success, but just want to encourage our audiences to be present in the moment. Hï has [email] sign-ups, and when [the attendee] gets emails about their tickets it says, ‘no phones.’ We can’t stop phones from being used, but we can suggest it.”

We were curious to know what it’s actually like to DJ for a sea of phones. “I don’t mind performing in front of these crowds but the reasoning for having a phone ban put in place is to let people lose themselves in the moment,” James said. “I like to see people’s reactions. When you stand there with your phones and film the drop, I don’t see what kind of crowd I have! Therefore, we can’t understand what’s working musically or what’s not.

“It can also be difficult because we can’t form the connection between the crowd, so we lose the flow and the vibe,” added James. “We’re living in a society that uses phones in the club and wherever we are. It’s more about understanding that you can use your phone but also just let yourself go and be in the moment.”

At the end of his video on YouTube, James reflected on the first night of the policy. “It felt like there were quite a lot of phones,” he said to the camera. “I mean like, people had them out to hold up signs, but there were quite a lot of phones, so maybe we’ve got to think about how we let people know not to use their phone. I’m gonna keep you updated about what we’re gonna do about the phone situation.”

Marcus L considered the difference between club culture in South Korea and Europe when he implemented his venue’s phone policy 

In Seoul, South Korea, Marcus L is an internationally established DJ and the owner of the club FAUST. Looking at FAUST’s techno-led bookings and the lack of photos on the club’s Instagram, it has a strong sense of an underground club. So it’s perhaps surprising that FAUST doesn’t strictly enforce its phone-free policy. “FAUST allows videos/photos but no flash photos on the dance floor to avoid killing the vibe,” said Marcus. “We had a ‘no photo’ policy in the beginning, but considering the difference of raving and club culture between Korea and Europe is way different, we changed to allow phones”. 

If there were a camera light or flash on the FAUST dance floor, Marcus told us that previously his staff would have dealt with the offending person. “But now ravers around that person say ‘no’ to them…and they are aware it’s not appropriate, in any case. We give nice, gentle guidance—not too strict.”

Considering Marcus is also a DJ, we were interested to know if he’s for or against phones on the dance floor. “I am personally OK with people doing it,” he said. “I’m an analog person and wouldn’t be so happy if thousands of people held phones on the dance floor. But in terms of the phone itself, I am OK, as we are living in the media era and we are also taking benefit out of this as a DJ…I wouldn’t mind people sending me videos or tagging me on their video—this also tells me that they had a good memory of my set.”

For New York’s Téa Abashidze, protecting and respecting a person’s privacy was non-negotiable 

BASEMENT in Brooklyn, New York, is a club with a distinctly underground feel. Like FAUST, it hosts predominantly techno artists, many of whom are globally established, and there are very few photos of the club on its Instagram page. BASEMENT’s website lists its House Rules and Policies in some detail, covering everything from dress code to consent. And when it comes to phone use on the dance floor, photos and videos are strictly forbidden. 

Téa Abashidze, the co-owner and booker of BASEMENT, explained how the club enacted this policy. “When you come in, we put stickers on everyone’s phones to make sure this rule is followed,” Téa said. “We also have signs around the club reminding everyone about this policy. If you remove the sticker, you’ll be asked to leave.”

BASEMENT works with safety monitors, too, who regularly check the club. “If they see anyone recording, they will be kicked out,” she continued. “This policy helps everyone stay in the moment and enjoy themselves without distractions. It also protects people’s privacy, so no one gets filmed without their permission. This way, people feel free to express themselves without worrying about being on camera.”

For Lutz Leichsenring in Berlin, it’s about respecting the club space and its community

In Berlin, Lutz Leichsenring is the co-founder of Vibe Lab, a data-driven research and consultancy agency for the city’s nightlife businesses. He is also an executive board member of Clubcommission, which acts as a representative and voice of Berlin’s club culture. The German capital feels like the original home of phone-free dance floors, so we asked Lutz why such policies are standard in Berlin.

“From a personal experience, I think it’s just representing what the club experience should be about,” he said. “It should be about enjoying the moment and experiencing human connection and enjoying music and art, and if you’re just there to document it, basically, and take pictures, it’s just the wrong thing to do at that moment. But it’s also annoying for others; it’s just a bit rude if you’re taking pictures of people that are having their moment and letting go.”

“For many people, a club night can be transformative,” he said. “And in that moment you don’t want to be filmed if you’re not aware of it. So I think there are many reasons. And I think the moment when Berlin clubs started to enforce this was because there was also a trend—in the ‘90s and early 2000s—when digital cameras came out. A lot of mainstream clubs had photos of celebrities and VIP areas. They had a photographer coming in and taking pictures of everyone. And I think that is maybe also a bit of an anti-trend against this kind of ‘showing-off’ mentality that a lot of these ‘bottle clubs’ do.”

Early in our conversation, Lutz pointed out that the words “policies” and “enforced” aren’t really used in the “club connection”, i.e. in the context of club culture, at least in Berlin. “It’s about respect, it’s about rights, and communicating things: there needs to be an understanding within the community,” he explained. “And if you are not behaving respectfully, you’re maybe also not part of the community. You know, a club is not only a room where people go in and pay and consume, it’s also a place for like-minded people that have maybe a similar philosophy, a similar love for the same music, or a sharing of similar sexual preferences—whatever, you know?”

What about the so-called “techno tourists” who descend on Berlin every weekend, who may have no idea about how the Berlin community respects “no phone” policies? “I mean, it’s definitely a challenge when you have a lot of people that are inexperienced with the way that Berlin’s community is celebrating, but you have this in other parts of the world,” Lutz said. “As soon as you get very attractive or very hyped, then it’s attractive for a lot of people who don’t have that experience, they just come for the hype.” This is also the reason why many clubs in Berlin operate a stringent door policy, which Lutz said is “to make sure that people understand what’s happening inside.”

Does Lutz see the case for allowing phones on the dance floor, ever? “It’s not like it’s not allowed,” he said. “People are using their phones; messaging, sitting in chill-out areas, checking their socials, and whatever they do—it’s not an issue. It’s just how you do it and where you do it. Filming other people without their consent—that’s just a no-go.”

What about an artist using club videos to develop their profile and to get more reach? “I would challenge this position because I think it’s not really helping them to be accepted as a serious artist if they need to do this to elevate their fame,” he said. “I think there are more subtle ways of doing it because then, you also understand, if I see a lot of videos from artists which are taken from the crowd, I already know I don’t want to be in that crowd. So I don’t really see the point of doing it.”

Francisco Cornejo de Souza thinks that many clubbers in Latin America view “no phone” policies as a novelty 

In Latin America, Francisco Cornejo de Souza, AKA Chico, is the co-founder of Latitudes, a platform created to connect electronic music communities. He’s been involved with electronic music in the region since the ’90s, working with clubs like D-Edge in São Paulo, where he lives. He is also well-connected with multiple DJs and club owners across South America, some of whom we spoke with through Chico. 

Chico told us that phone-free policies are more of a novelty in South America, “because those policies were seldom enacted, let alone enforced by any club or party as far as I know,” he wrote to us. “What you have, in fact, are sparse initiatives, now taking the form of features in certain events, as a novelty…and I’ll tell you why I suspect this happens over here, at least in my country: we have a VERY problematic relationship with privacy, especially at the interpersonal level.”

What are punters filming in Latin America? “The DJ, but of course,” said Chico. “But if anyone embarrasses themselves in a public setting, chances are it’ll be filmed…in a nutshell: selfie culture is pervasive here across all social strata, and affecting it is a risk for promoters.” 

“BUT the [phone-free] novelty has some acceptance, especially in more ‘upscale’ venues,” said Chico. “Posh kids value their privacy, and that’s something you can see all over clubland globally.”

DJs, promoters and club owners from Latin America gave us a range of responses on the topic…

Chico led us to Julianna, who he called one of the “greatest selectors from Colombia, who’s been in several fronts of the biz for a while now.” As a cornerstone of the Columbian scene, Julianna has worn many hats in music, from record store owner to events producer. 

“In Colombia, the only one I know that does [a phone-free policy] is BULTO in Bogota because it is a queer party where there are dark rooms,” said Julianna. “I played there this year, and the dance floor experience changed radically with the non-use of cell phones.”

Victoria Mussi is the owner and resident DJ of Tango in Paraguay, which Chico called  the “main techno club” in the region. The club has banned phones on the dance floor. 

“We had already decided even before opening the club that this would be the rule,” said Victoria. “In our country, taking photos and videos is usually allowed everywhere, especially at parties. On the one hand, we believe that this kind of attitude hampers the vibe because people sometimes focus more on their screens than on feeling the energy of the dance floor; also, on the other hand, we strive to protect the privacy of everyone in attendance.”

Nico Castro is one half of the DJ duo Aerobica and a promoter in Santiago de Chile, which, Chico told us, “throws some of the liveliest parties” in the area. 

“Everybody tends to choose social media reach over privacy, or encourages the freedom for everyone to upload whatever they want,” Nico said. “I have not seen any stickers on a camera at any party in Chile, big or small, underground or mainstream.”

In London, Stuart Glen has rarely encountered a problem with phones on the dance floor

In London, Stuart Glen is the co-founder of The Cause. He operates a relaxed policy regarding phones on the dance floor. 

“We don’t really have a strict policy, but we don’t really get a crowd that antagonises the door or causes a problem with any DJs, so we’ve not encountered any issues,” he said. “We host a whole variety of events. We have Adonis, which has a ‘no phones, no camera’ policy. With our in-house shows, it’s not really a big problem, where you see loads of phones on the dance floor. We haven’t really had any issues where people are being really over-the-top using their phones and in your face, so I don’t really feel the need to enforce anything, to be honest.”

However, some crowds differ, and many external promoters hire out The Cause, or a room in The Cause, for their events, which means that some punters are more into filming and taking photos than others. “But any of the artists, or the people promoting the shows, have never really had an issue with it,” said Stuart. “It’s a space where people can do what they want, and they can bring in different crowds who’ve got different ways of doing things. As long as everyone’s happy, we haven’t really got any major issues. People come to enjoy themselves.”

Taking into account Stuart’s long-running history of running parties across London, we wanted to know his opinion of phones on the dance floor in general, and whether or not he thinks it impacts the atmosphere. “When I see people with their hands in the air filming, I just think, What are you doing?,” he said. “Because you’re not really in the moment. You’re not actually clubbing, like what clubbing should be about, because you’re more worried about basically showing off and telling everyone that you’re here and at this event, and I don’t know, it kind of also reinforces this superstar DJ mentality. I mean, that’s where careers are broken and start out from—these moments—but I feel this part is a manufactured online superstar DJ thing, to be honest.

“I don’t really see it as a positive thing, but it just is what it is,” he added. “You’re not going to be able to change it; people have cameras on their phones, and some people want to film DJs and make themselves out to be important. So, if they want to do it, do it. But if I see it at a club, it puts me off from going.” 

What’s the future of phones on the dance floor? 

While there’s no universal phone policy that suits everyone across the globe, what the clubs, promoters, industry figures and DJs we spoke to have in common is that they think a phone-free dance floor largely improves a club’s atmosphere and also protects people’s privacy. These policies tend to reflect why we should go out to clubs in the first place: for enjoyment and connection, with people engaged in the music being played. 

But what about the future? If we are talking about a trend, where might it be headed? 

It’s very likely that phones will still crop up and even dominate some—but not all—dance floors and festivals worldwide, but it will depend on the club and/or the promoter running the event. For example, attending most super clubs in Ibiza, you would expect to see a sea of phones filming the DJ. It can be annoying, but it will come with the territory.  

At less mainstream clubs or events, however, the expectation could be that people are much less likely to be filming. You may have a sticker put on your phone camera, or there’ll be signs on the walls. Like we see at many events in Berlin, the crowd may “self-police” itself, reminding each other to adhere to the policy. In such situations, the whole clubbing experience is often much better—more engagement with the music, more immersion in the atmosphere, more appreciation of the venue’s production. Overall, everything feels less like an episode of Black Mirror. 

When it comes to privacy, I personally know that if I go to a queer party, no one is going to be taking photos or filming, except for a professional photographer who may be working on the night and has a very clear brief from the promoter (like the queer parties Honeypot and Technomate, who work with trusted photographers). I think the lack of phones on the dancefloor at queer parties stems from a mutual respect the punters have for one another (and the DJ); this is different from a party with a straight audience, where I feel there is often less respect for each other, whether it’s privacy, personal space, wellbeing etc. 

It’s been difficult to avoid DJs expressing frustration online about the impact of phones on the dance floor, and this will no doubt continue. Perhaps DJs, like James Hype and Damian Lazarus, are hoping to create a social stigma around phone usage? There’s a great deal of audience support for most of these social posts, especially among the older generation of clubbers, who remember dance floors before phones. But if a majority of people online appear to support phone bans, why do we still see so many people filming? Perhaps there’s a gap between what people say online and what they do in reality? 

This ties in with the idea that the club space almost exists in two ways simultaneously: IRL and via social media. There’s the actual experience of clubbing—loud music, lights, bodies, alcohol, and whatnot; then there are the clips of that experience online. We get snippets of DJs, their style of music, the kind of crowd that attended the party, and what the general vibe was—all packaged in a 60-second Instagram story or reel, or a TikTok video. Is it possible that these videos are actually having the opposite of their intended effect, and people, satisfied with getting a taste of clubbing at home, are subsequently going out less? This development is more likely to stem from the cost of living crisis, but it’s an interesting idea to consider. 

The need for DJs to promote themselves through club videos is among the most difficult points of this debate. On the one hand, the current social media-driven market means that they need the exposure; on the other hand, they want the audience to be immersed in the music. For up-and-coming artists, videos of them playing in a packed room and holding the audience in the proverbial palm of their hand can be invaluable—it could help them land more bookings, grow their following (both online and IRL) and maybe even land a booking agent. But by the same token, it’s likely that an artist of this status would be playing at exactly the type of parties that will be aiming to move away from phones on the dance floor. 

We should also acknowledge that there are large sections of the club/festival-going population who have never experienced a dance floor without people filming, particularly those who started going to clubs for the first time post-pandemic. For some people in this cohort, especially the TikTok generation, filming and taking photos is part of their daily lives. Remembering this fact might help older club goers to view these behaviors in a more generous light. 

It may also be worth remembering that global club and DJ culture is a vast, sprawling entity with no center and no fixed views on things among its followers. Of course, people have different values and preferences when it comes to going out and using their phones on the dance floor, so perhaps it’s about finding the place or promoter that best represents your values. These days, that place might end up being a 5000-capacity club in Ibiza, or the most notoriously selective venue in Berlin.