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Media exert a great fascination on young people and at the same time they are a natural companion in their everyday lives. Young people have already had a wide range of media experiences inside and outside the family, which also influence how they deal with media content. Since media offerings are as varied as the young people themselves and their environment, there can be little talk of clear-cut effects through media. While some young people can handle media violence or sad scenes well, others are more sensitive. Some are also better at distinguishing a fake piece of information from a real one, find action movies more entertaining, or get more carried away by music. Either way, media have a decisive influence on our values, lifestyles and desires.
In addition, as they grow up, young people use media that are not age-appropriate according to youth media protection. Fascination, provocation or pure curiosity play a role. Even though some teens have had many experiences with it, it doesn’t mean they are hardened or jaded. Young people are by no means only affected by media effects. Most of the time, they choose carefully, classify media, exchange ideas with their peers, think about their media experiences and deal with them critically – and you should support and accompany them in this.
