Man Fined $200 For Using Speakerphone At French Train Station—Was It Justified?

A man in France was fined $200 for using his phone’s speakerphone while waiting at a train station—a penalty that has sparked debate over public etiquette.

Identified only as “David,” the man told CNN affiliate BFMTV that he was at the Nantes train station in western France on Sunday when an official from France’s state-owned rail company, SNCF, confronted him.

“I was talking to my sister on speakerphone when an SNCF security officer approached me and said that if I didn’t turn it off, I’d be fined €150,” David recalled.

Initially, he thought it was a joke.

“I think the officer was offended. She pulled out her notebook and fined me,” he added.

However, because he didn’t pay the fine immediately, the penalty increased to €200 ($207). Now, David is fighting back—he has hired a lawyer and plans to contest the fine.

CNN has reached out to SNCF for comment.

Public Speakerphone Use: Annoying or Acceptable?

Using speakerphone or playing videos in public without headphones is a modern habit that many find irritating. In fact, when a Reddit user recently asked, “What do you secretly judge people for?” the top-voted response was, “Watching TikToks loudly in a quiet room without headphones.” The comment received 13,000 upvotes.

Even etiquette experts have weighed in on the matter. In 2023, Debrett’s, Britain’s authority on manners, published new guidelines for cellphone use. Their advice? Keep phone conversations private.

“If you’re making a video call in a public space—or just too lazy to hold the phone up to your ear—you must use headphones or earbuds,” the guide states. “Nobody should be forced to listen to your phone conversation. It’s distracting, intrusive, and could even be embarrassing for the person on the other end.”

A Sign of Stricter Rules Ahead?

David’s case raises questions about how strict public space etiquette should be. Was the fine justified, or was it an overreaction? As technology and social habits evolve, so too do the rules governing them. One thing’s for sure: the debate over speakerphone use in public is far from over.