I'm pretty sure that those regulations are from the bad old days, when electronics operated at frequencies much closer to aviation bands and at much higher power so interference was much more likely (even if the electronics were not intended to send or receive radio signals).

Still, there are so many different types of electronic devices these days that it's probably wise for those regulations to stick around. Without knowing what you have, it's hard to tell what it can turn out as radio frequency interference. That, and most people seem to believe that these devices operate magically thus the laws of physics do not apply.

The nature of the devices has changed too. Things such as cellphones and handheld game consoles are much more engaging, which could be an issue when instructions need to be provided.