Chatting via messenger, playing computer games together or taking part in social media trends – media enable us to be in contact with others.
Children and young people face many challenges when communicating online.
On Elternguide.online, we explain how you and your family can deal safely and competently with communication risks online.
When we write messages via Messenger, we don’t just use letters, we also like to use emojis. However, care should be taken to avoid misunderstandings. Chatting, posting and gaming is fun.
However, being constantly available can overwhelm children and young people, lead to digital stress and the fear of missing out(FOMO).
Be aware of your role model function and, if necessary, make technical adjustments together to regulate media use.
Whether through online gaming, video chats or social media – it’s easy to meet new people on the internet.
Contact with strangers can be risky because we don’t know the person’s intentions and don’t know who is actually communicating with us. Is it really the same age gamer friend? When perpetrators write to children or young people to initiate sexual contact, this is known as cybergrooming.
If supposedly private images such as nude photos are used to blackmail someone, this is called sextortion.
Both are serious risks that you can minimize if you accompany your child online and inform them about the risks in an age-appropriate manner.
You can find out how to protect your child from sexual violence online here.
Sometimes communication with friends and acquaintances can also become problematic. Among young people, there is a risk of cyberbullying, for example, via chat groups. It is helpful if rules are agreed on how to deal with messenger chats. Discuss this with other parents and your child’s teachers.
Talk to your child about how they should deal with insults and nasty comments and make them aware of reporting points.
The internet is not always a friendly place.
Trolls and haters launch attacks under the guise of anonymity and deliberately provoke people in comment columns.
Online hate speech can spoil the fun of posting videos and photos online. Thinking carefully about what you post or share is the first step to a safe browsing experience. Forming their own opinion is one of the developmental tasks of children and young people.
During the orientation phase, they can be susceptible to simple answers and radical positions from extremists. Whether in forums, chats or online games – children and young people can come across extreme opinions and conspiracy myths anywhere online.
Make it clear to your child why they should not trust all content online.
Show your child how they can check information and familiarize them with the various reporting points on the internet.
Many gamers play games together, even if they are sitting in different places.
When gaming, communication takes place via a headset or the chat function within a game.
It is not always clear who is talking to you on the other end.
If possible, players should block other people’s contacts.
Gamers sometimes use harsh language, known as trash talk.
If insults and conflicts escalate, this can lead to hatred among gamers.
Keep in touch with your child about their favorite games and use technical youth media protection solutions. You can find out more about communication risks and how you can deal with them in these articles:
“Hang on, I need to post on BeReal for a minute!” – Many families are familiar with statements like this.
The BeReal app was the seventh most popular social media app among young Germans in 2023.
Authenticity is a top priority here, which is why the service scores points with its unusual concept: spontaneous snapshots from everyday life instead of staged pictures and videos.
We explain the concept behind it.
BeReal translates as “Be real!”. Users are prompted to take a photo once a day by the app via a push message. The random time varies from day to day and is sent to all users at the same time.
Within two minutes, a photo must be taken with the front and rear cameras at the same time and published. Pictures from the photo gallery cannot be uploaded. The two photos are displayed as picture-in-picture. The photos of friends can then also be viewed. The posted photos are automatically deleted from the feed after 24 hours and are saved under Memories for private viewing only. If uploaded on time, you can share up to five additional snapshots per day.
In addition to the daily prompt, you can record videos in “Behind the Scenes” mode, which show what happens before or after the actual photo. There is also the option to add music to the BeReals. The RealChat function allows friends to chat directly with each other and connect with several friends in up to two RealGroups.
There are no filters or image editing in the app and your follower count is not publicly visible. You can react to other people’s posts with emojis or so-called RealMojis, which are grimaces that you create yourself. Public photos can be seen at any time. Friends can be found and added via synchronization with your own contacts or by searching for user names. Profiles from the public feed can also be added.
New apps are particularly interesting for young users if they offer something out of the ordinary. In times of superficiality and image editing on social networks, BeReal stands out with its concept of spontaneity and authenticity. The tension increases because the push message with the request to take a snapshot can come at any time. A photo must then be taken spontaneously and under time pressure – without preparation or many attempts, without filters or image editing.
Connecting with brands and celebrities via the RealBrands and RealPeople categories and participating in their “real” lives as a RealFan is fun for young people and makes them feel connected to their role models.
Complying with the app’s requests can be challenging, for example because young people actually want to concentrate on their homework or can’t get their smartphone out at school. For some, the pressure exerted by the push message can be unpleasant or lead to impulsive photos being taken and published in private situations. There can also be social pressure to share particularly interesting pictures on the platform without filters and edits.
BeReal collects personal data such as name and telephone number and stores the IP address. If access to the address book is permitted, the app also receives data from people who do not use BeReal. There is also a risk that photos of other people who appear unintentionally in the picture will end up in the public feed. Photos can also be screenshotted and shared by others without being noticed.
According to the terms of use, BeReal is permitted from the age of 13. If an age between 13 and 15 is specified when registering, the app indicates that parental consent is required. This is because, due to the GDPR, use without parental consent is only possible from the age of 16. However, this can be easily circumvented.
The app was sold to the French game developer Voodoo in 2024. Further features could change, advertising has already been integrated. BeReal has community guidelines and prohibits harassment, violence and bullying, for example. Violations can be reported directly in the app.
If your child is interested in the app, you should also take a closer look at BeReal – preferably together. Talk to your child about the potential communication risks associated with using the app and keep in touch about your child’s experience of using it. Agree beforehand which photos may be published there, so that your child can react consciously in the pressure situation.
The app accesses many functions of the smartphone, some of which are unfounded, such as microphone and location. Check the app permissions immediately after registration and consider together with your child which accesses are necessary and useful. It is best to set the account to private in the privacy settings so that only people in the friends list can see the posted pictures. Discuss with your child that they should only add people they actually know as friends. You can find instructions on other BeReal security settings on the website medien-kindersicher.de.
With the Internet ABC children learn to navigate the Internet independently and safely through playful learning modules. Parents and teachers can find lots of tips and support for the media education of primary school children in separate sub-sections.
Internet ABC helps children of primary school age to gradually learn how to use the Internet safely. Here you will find interactive learning modules on topics such as chats, data protection and research, while varied exercises, puzzles and tasks bring complex content closer in a child-friendly and clear way. Animal companions guide children through the four subject areas “Learning School”, “Hobby Leisure”, “Fun Games” and “Join in Have a Say”. A comprehensive lexicon explains online terms such as posting and spam.
Internet ABC enables children to learn the basics of using the Internet safely on their own. The games and puzzles are fun and the website is updated regularly. Children can test their knowledge and obtain a “driver’s license for the Internet” with the so-called surfing certificate. A short online course to understand the technical basics and how to use a PC, notebook and tablet can be found in the Computer ABC.
In the join-in area, children can create pictures, write in the forum, take part in surveys or comment on the joke of the month and exchange ideas with each other. The comments are first checked for insults or private information and only then activated.
The service is also aimed at parents and educational professionals and supports them in teaching media skills on the Internet. In addition to tips and explanations, there is concrete assistance such as the media usage contract.
The Internet ABC provider of the same name is an association whose members include all 14 state media authorities in Germany. Internet-ABC does not use advertising, is free of charge and explains exactly what data is collected from users and what happens to it.
Independent media use is important for children and promotes media literacy.
Services such as Internet ABC enable children to participate in the Internet and help you to teach your child how to use it responsibly.
Such services are therefore a useful addition to their media education at home.
Even if children can navigate independently on sites such as Internet ABC, it is important that you initially discover the Internet together with your children and are there to help with questions and problems.
For example, the website warns against leaving Internet ABC when clicking on links.
Nevertheless, your child may come across unsuitable content on other websites. Therefore, talk to your child and accompany him or her as often as possible when using media. Protection programs such as JusProg, which block age-inappropriate content, are also helpful.
Equally important are common rules and time limits within which your child can navigate the internet alone. You can get tips and help with media education via the Internet ABC website or other offers and stay informed about current phenomena and topics. In addition, the exchange with other parents can be helpful.
This article is part of the “Parents’ tips on children’s participation platforms” project, which is funded under the “Child-friendly digital services and orientation measures” program of the Federal Agency for the Child and Youth Protection in the Media (BzKJ) and realised by JFF – Institute for Media Research and Media Education and the German Association for Voluntary Self-Regulation of Digital Media Service Providers (FSM e.V.).
For hours Tiktok-videos, constantly posting something on Instagram or only post via Snapchat connecting with friends – do you sometimes get the impression that your child’s life takes place almost exclusively on social media?
Perhaps the question arises as to whether this is still “normal” use and at what point your child is already addicted. In this article, we take a closer look.
Young people have a close relationship with their smartphone. They use it for research, for schoolwork, but above all, of course, for communication. They use their smartphones to keep in touch with family and friends, stay up-to-date and position themselves in their peer group. To a large extent, this happens via social media. This is where they can show and present themselves, respond to each other and find like-minded people.
But despite all the fascination, social media also has its drawbacks. The successes that young people experience there in the form of likes and comments activate the reward system. The platforms’ psychological tricks capture our attention and are designed to make us spend more and more time online. In short, social media makes it extremely difficult for us to put our cell phones down. Young people in particular therefore often spend a lot of time on social media. So much so that parents are worried that it could be an addiction.
“2.6 percent of children and young people between the ages of 12 and 17 in Germany” meet the criteria for addictive behavior in their use of social media, according to the latest figures. This was published by health insurance provider DAK on its website in summer 2024. The risk of depression has also increased and is associated with an addiction to social media. But what does this mean?
It is important to note that social media addiction is not yet a registered disease or disorder. We can therefore only observe behavior that is similar to other addictions such as computer game addiction. And as always, this behavior is more complex than it seems at first glance. It’s not just about how much time children and young people spend on social media, but how they feel about it. An addiction in the classic sense is only present when people show several criteria of addictive behavior over a long period of time. These criteria can be, for example
In most cases, addictions do not arise solely because an addictive substance such as social media is present. Rather, they are linked to other causes, such as problems in the family, socially difficult situations, personal setbacks or psychological problems.
Anyone who notices addictive behavior in their child over a period of months and is becoming increasingly distressed should seek help urgently. For you as parents, however, the worries often start much earlier – and it also makes sense to take preventative action on this topic at an early stage:
Seek help if you are very worried about your child’s behavior. Contact your pediatrician’s or family doctor’s office, school social work, counseling centers such as the Nummer gegen Kummer or addiction counseling centers.
Klexikon is an online encyclopedia as a comprehensive and understandable Wikipedia for children. Here you will find over 3,400 articles on a wide range of topics for school and leisure.
Klexikon describes itself as the Wikipedia for children. From A-Z, children can find knowledge articles on a wide range of topics. The articles are written in a child-friendly way so that children can find understandable answers to their questions.
At Klexikon.de, children can search for terms directly in the search field. They can also browse through 12 knowledge areas – from “People we know” and “Body and health” to “Sport and fun” or “Politics and society” – to find topics in the various areas. If you want to be surprised, you can click on the “Random article” tab and be shown a random text from the more than 3,400 articles.
The Klexikon is a project of the Zentrale für Unterrichtsmedien im Internet e.V. (ZUM.de). The articles are written by volunteer authors. The Klexikon also offers writing workshops for school classes together with the German Museum of Technology and Wikimedia. Here, children get to know the service and, with the help of adults, can also create articles themselves and thus actively help shape the Klexikon . In the miniKlexikon contains articles in particularly simple language.
Whether for school or in their free time, children have lots of questions and want to find out about a wide range of topics. Like us adults, they are increasingly turning to the Internet for information on topics that interest them. Children also like to access information on the Internet when researching for school. Child-friendly services help them to find answers to their questions.
The following also applies to websites for children: Take into account your child’s level of development and accompany your child when using the Internet. Take a look at the website together first, especially with younger children, and discuss what your child has read in the articles. Who knows – maybe they will learn something new too! You can also search for answers with your child on the Internet and compare information that you find on different pages about a question. This way, your child can learn what to look out for when searching for information online and how to classify it.
This article is part of the “Parents’ tips on children’s participation platforms” project, which is part of the “Child-friendly digital services and orientation measures” funding program of the Federal Center for Child and Youth Media Protection (BzKJ) and in cooperation with JFF – Institute for Media Education in Research and Practice and the Voluntary Self-Regulation of Multimedia Service Providers (FSM e.V.) is being implemented.
Artificial intelligence is a thing of the future? Not at all! AI has long been part of our everyday family life. From facial recognition in smartphones and ‘intelligent’ toys in the children’s room to making work easier at school or at work. What does this mean for us parents and how should we deal with it?
AI, or artificial intelligence, is increasingly finding its way into our lives. By this term, we mean computer systems that are trained to behave like intelligent beings. For example, they can solve tasks, answer questions, recognize faces – and they can learn from their own mistakes. And with all this, they no longer seem like technical devices to us as users, but almost like a “real” counterpart. In everyday life, we therefore come into contact with AI tools more often than we think.
Sometimes we use the offers quite consciously – sometimes there is AI in them where we might not have expected it. Because intelligent systems really are already everywhere:
All these applications are now quite sophisticated and are convenient and helpful in many situations. No wonder we are happy to use them in everyday family life.
Nevertheless, it is important that we are aware of what is behind the smart devices and also keep an eye on the stumbling blocks and challenges in their use. These are, for example:
This poses a particular challenge for parents: we use AI tools ourselves in everyday life and want to make our children fit to deal with the latest media offerings – and at the same time protect them from the dangers. First of all, it is important to stay informed and keep in touch. Make use of information services and parents’ evenings, educate yourself and question your own use. Together with your child, think about which AI tools you would like to use in everyday family life, where AI is useful to you and where it should be used with caution. Establish rules together – especially on the subject of data protection – and decide what is used and how.
This also includes setting devices safely and, for example, consciously controlling the data usage of apps. Services such as the website medien-kindersicher.
Whether it’s cyberbullying, computer game addiction or data protection, young people can quickly, easily and free of charge contact the young scouts and experts at JUUUPORT turn. Young people can now also find a reporting form for problematic online content on the website.
When young people have problems or questions, they sometimes find it difficult to talk to their parents or other adults, especially about sensitive topics such as cyberbullying or sexting. That’s why JUUUPORT has youth scouts who have experienced something similar and can advise other youth. They have undergone special training on Internet topics and in the areas of psychology and law and can be requested anonymously. If they don’t know what to do, the young people’s concerns are passed on to adult experts who then take care of them.
JUUUPORT offers online counseling by young people for young people, supported by the association JUUUPORT e. V. On juuuport.de counseling is free, anonymous and complies with data protection regulations. In addition to the contact form on the website, there is also the option of contacting us via WhatsApp to get advice. The scouts will reply within two days. In the “Your questions” section, you can find answers from the scouts to common problems faced by young people.
The JUUUPORT website also contains a wide range of information on Internet topics. In addition to a guide on how to deal with online dangers such as cyberbullying, media addiction or sexual harassment, there is also up-to-date information on various topics such as artificial intelligence and fake news. JUUUPORT also offers a collection of links to other contact points for young people.
Young people can also use a separate reporting form to report things that do not belong online, such as violent videos, extremism or hate speech. The internet complaints offices FSM, eco and jugendschutz.net then deal with these complaints.
JUUUPORT is active on the social media platforms YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X active. Here, the scouts share photos, videos and information about the advisory services and current media topics.
JUUUPORT also offers free online seminars for schools, youth clubs and associations. Topics here include “Hate on the Net” and “WhatsApp Stress.” Perhaps there is a need for a seminar at your child’s school or you would like to draw attention to the offer with information material.
Tell your child about JUUUPORT – perhaps there are topics that they would rather discuss anonymously with other young people than with you. If your child would like to get involved with JUUUPORT themselves and become a scout, they can sign up for training here.
You are sitting with your children having dinner together and talking, when suddenly your cell phone rings. How do you behave? Do you let family time get in the way?
Such situations probably exist in every family. Actually, it was agreed that the smartphone has no place during the meal. But if it rings mom’s bell, she may think it’s important and answer it anyway. But the rules should apply to everyone, right?
Be aware that parents and other adults have an important guidance function for children. Children learn from you how the world works and how to behave in certain situations. Your behavior therefore has a major impact on how your child uses media themselves. By setting an example of what a conscious approach to media can look like, you support your child in learning to use the smartphone and other media independently, sensibly and responsibly.
As young people get older, they also orient themselves more and more to their peers in their media use, and your influence as parents diminishes.
Perhaps your family also sometimes gets into arguments about media use, for example, when your child reaches for the smartphone out of boredom. They think it would be better if they read a book or played with friends instead. Just think about what you do yourself in your free time. Do you watch series in the media library or sometimes just play games on your cell phone? It’s not just about what media you use, but how often, in what situations, and what content.
You might consider what that looks like for each family member. How much time does each person spend with media and with other things? Is the ratio is okay for you. Agree with your family on rules about media time and cell phone-free times. For this purpose, you can, for example, jointly create a media usage agreement. Or use an app that lets you keep track of time on your screen. Often there is also the option to track screen time or set up limits in the mobile settings.
It is advisable to consciously incorporate screen-free times and activities into everyday family life in order to be able to process the media content and to allow the body to exercise.
Always keep in touch with each other – even when it comes to media. By taking an interest in your child’s media consumption, you build trust. Then your child will also take you seriously when you express concerns about certain apps or platforms, or come to you when they encounter unpleasant things about their media use. Younger children in particular should not be left alone with media. Talk about what they saw.
Also reflect on your own behavior on social networks and follow the advice you give your child – such as not posting photos without the consent of the people in them.
Everyday life is often stressful and it is sometimes difficult to keep agreements. One is exposed to the pressure to be constantly available. Talk about this with your child as well. Be honest with yourself and show understanding for your child. It can also be helpful to look together at which agreements are going well and which are going less well!
This scavenger hunt, which works with a smartphone or GPS device, is also fun for older kids and teens. Try it out and go on this special treasure hunt together with your child.
Geocaching involves using a GPS receiver to find small treasures that other players have hidden in different places. These caches are located in cans or jars of different sizes. The respective GPS location is registered on a platform, e.g. geocaching.com or opencaching.de, and can be saved and retrieved via app. Whoever finds a cache enters his or her name in a so-called logbook, which is attached to the cache. After that, the can is closed again and hidden in the same place, so that the next person also has to look for it.
Geocaching is a popular hobby among adults, children and teenagers. The treasures are hidden all over the world, so even on vacation you can go in search and discover exciting places. For some geocachers, it’s all about finding as many caches as possible and signing logbooks around the world.
There are caches in different categories and sizes. All important information is in the cache description. Some caches require special equipment for the search. With puzzle caches, tasks must be solved beforehand in order to get the GPS coordinates. Depending on the cache, children as young as 4 can join the treasure hunt. Older children can already read the descriptions themselves and be more independent in their search.
Some caches are not easy to find. This can quickly frustrate children. Therefore, read the cache description carefully beforehand. Often there are still important hints in the comments of the digital logbook (under each cache description). Occasionally it happens that a cache is no longer in hiding because someone has destroyed it or taken it away.
Some caches contain barter items, such as a toy figure or coin. Some items have a mission. For example, they are to get to another country or place by barter. All information is available on the geocaching platform. An important rule is that geocachers should search inconspicuously so as not to draw the attention of so-called muggles to the cache. Throwing away trash or destroying the landscape is not welcomed in the geocaching community and is against the rules of geocaching.
Does your child love taking photos and want to publish their own artwork? They may still be too young for Instagram, but in the snapsclub they can learn more about photography in a child-friendly way and share their experiences with others.
The snapsclub is a photo community for children between the ages of 8 and 12. Here they can publish photos, share them with others and talk about them. knipsclub offers a safe space on the Internet. Through blog posts, video clips and hands-on activities such as “#ofthemonth“, children learn more about photography and safe online behavior, e.g. on topics such as data protection, copyrights and safe communication with others. What is a portrait, the right light, interesting facts about the right to one’s own image and much more – in the “snapping tips” children will regularly find helpful and practical tips.
Many children love picture stories or comics and like to draw. With photos, they can discover their environment in a new way and learn how to deal with (digital) technology. Children of primary school age are curious and want to know a lot. Many are already on the Internet and social networks are becoming increasingly interesting. At knipsclub , they can gain their first safe experiences and learn what they need to watch out for, e.g. that you can’t simply upload pictures of others to the internet.
Take your child’s wish seriously if they like to share their photos and be independent on the web. Social networks such as Instagram offer little protection and no supervision for children and are only recommended from the age of 13. There they may come across advertising, cyberbullying and cybergrooming, which can overwhelm or frighten them.
At knipsclub, you can slowly introduce your child to the use of a photo platform and the rules of the internet.
To register your child free of charge, you must upload a written declaration of consent. Familiarize your child with the rules on the net and discover the platform together. For example, start a joint photo project. Here you will find some ideas for this.
This article is part of the “Parents’ tips on children’s participation platforms” project, which is part of the “Child-friendly digital services and orientation measures” funding program of the Federal Center for Child and Youth Media Protection (BzKJ) and in cooperation with JFF – Institute for Media Education in Research and Practice and the Voluntary Self-Regulation of Multimedia Service Providers (FSM e.V.) is being implemented.
As the world’s largest video portal, YouTube is very popular with children and young people thanks to its variety of formats and topics. They subscribe to their idols‘ channels, participate in the community via likes and comments, post videos themselves and share the latest clips and trends.
YouTube presents challenges such as personalized advertising, content that is not age-appropriate or hate speech. Younger children are not yet able to deal with such hurdles on their own. That is why the provider Google parents with YouTube Kids and Parental Controls to make their child’s use of YouTube safer, depending on their age and stage of development.
YouTube Kids is a special video platform for children. It filters out child-friendly content using a special algorithm and uploads it to the app or website. YouTube Kids is easy to use, but you cannot upload your own videos.
Technical errors can cause unsuitable videos to be uploaded to YouTube Kids . Further information on the service can be found in this parents’ guide article.
YouTube Kids no longer offers older children quite as much content that suits their age and interests. For example, many Let’s Play videos of Minecraft and the like, which are very popular with older primary school children, are filtered out. If you have a child account and a parent account, you can share individual videos with your child and expand the range of content on YouTube Kids according to your child’s interests.
Another option is parental control. With this function, YouTube offers parents the opportunity to set age-appropriate settings for children’s YouTube usage. To do this, parents must link the parent and child accounts, for example via Google Family Link. Select the “YouTube (parental control)” app in the child account settings. In the “Content settings”, you can choose from three setting options, which we explain below.
YouTube offers these additional setting options for every age group:
You can find more tips on how parents can set up YouTube safely on Media Safe for Kids and in the family section of YouTube.
Note: The format YouTube Shorts format shows an endless feed of short video clips and cannot be controlled with settings functions.
Stay informed about the safety settings on YouTube and adjust them again and again in consultation with your child and according to their stage of development.
Important: Attitudes towards technical youth media protection do not replace media education. Your child may still be confronted with content and situations that are too much for them. Remain open and interested and ask which videos and channels your child enjoys and what exactly fascinates them about them. Encourage your child’s media skills. Talk to your child openly and as non-judgementally as possible about topics such as advertising, communication risks or the influence of influencers. This way, your child will feel safe with you as a contact person and can confide in you if they have problems.
Chatting with friends, posting content, following stars – social media is very popular with many children and young people and an important part of their everyday lives. In this article, we present some popular platforms and apps and explain why they are so fascinating.
Dance challenges, LipSyncs and comedy – the Chinese platform TikTok offers an endless variety of entertaining short videos and is one of the most popular social media apps among children and young people. Users design their clips with trendy music, fun effects and creative filters. A special feature is the algorithm that displays personalized content in the “For you” feed according to the user’s preferences. Following viral trends and influencers, discovering new functions and video formats and connecting with each other via chat and hashtags fascinates children and young people. TikTok harbors risks such as data protection issues, inappropriate content such as war videos, pornography or drugs and entails communication risks. Endless scrolling can lead to extreme media use and promote digital stress. Parents can use the Accompanied mode control function for younger children.
Instagram is a popular social network where users share photos and videos. The app offers functions such as stories, reels and livestreams and focuses primarily on aesthetics. A variety of image and video editing tools such as filters give users the opportunity to express themselves creatively. The platform encourages interaction through likes, comments and direct messages. Children and young people use Instagram to network, follow role models and trends and present themselves online. Young users find it appealing to post selfies, test their impact and share beautiful moments with friends and family. The platform belongs to the large US internet company Meta. Challenges include the illusory world of perfect self-presentation and advertising by influencers. With parental control, Instagram can be set up safely and usage times can be controlled.
Threads is a text-based app from Instagramthat was specially developed for close friends. The functions of threads are the platform X platform. Users can share photos, videos and messages with selected contacts and view real-time updates about their location, activities or mood. This intimacy and the link to Instagram make threads attractive to young people. As on all social media platforms, there are risks in online communication and in being confronted with harmful content.
Snapchat is a social media app for sharing photos and videos. The so-called “snaps” disappear automatically after 24 hours. The relaxed, spontaneous communication and the fun filters and effects make the app popular with children and young people. Young people use the app to connect with their friends in particular. Snapchat rewards daily exchanges between friends with the Snapstreaks function and awards flame symbols. If the location function is activated, users can see where their contacts are currently located on the Snapmap. Snapchat users are automatically connected to the AI chatbotMy AI which answers questions and chats like a “real” friend. Snapchat is challenging in terms of privacy and data protection and can increase the pressure to be online all the time. The Snapchat Family Center offers parents setting options such as the activity overview and content controls.
BeReal is an ad-free social media app where users share spontaneous snapshots. Once a day, all users receive a simultaneous notification to take a photo with the front and rear camera within two minutes. Anyone who wants to can share their location. The spontaneity and authenticity make the app particularly popular with young people. Users can exchange ideas and network with each other via the comment function and in BeReal groups. The request to post a photo on time can cause digital stress for users and tempt them to disclose overly private information.
Knipsclub is a safe photo community that introduces children to social networks creatively and in a protected environment. Children can share, edit and comment on photos here under pedagogical supervision. In Knipsclub, users do not share any personal data and all content is moderated. This makes the platform a good alternative for parents who want to give their children a safe introduction to social media. Other protected options are platforms such as children’s issues of the DKHW or the children’s forum of Seitenstark. These children’s websites offer age-appropriate content, encourage creativity and offer moderated forums on specific topics.
TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, BeReal and Threads may be used from the age of 13 with parental consent according to the terms and conditions. When choosing social media services, make sure they are age-appropriate for your child. If your child is still younger, offer them alternatives such as the Knipsclub to make it easier for them to enter the world of online networking. Actively help your child get started with their own smartphone or on one of the popular social media platforms. Make sure your smartphone and apps are childproof and talk about the risks of social media use at an early stage. Educate your child about topics such as data protection, communication risks and community rules. Stay in touch about favorite channels and influencers to better understand and support your child’s media behavior.
An hour on the Internet sometimes feels like a few minutes. Adults know this feeling as well as children. A new notification, a new post, quickly finish the level and take a quick look at TikTok – but then it’s really over! Many apps are designed to keep us glued to the screen with constant new stimuli. This makes it increasingly difficult to simply put the device down. Special apps for regulating media time or setting options aim to help people use media more consciously.
Screen time is a function on the iPhone, iPad and MacBook that shows you how much time you spend each day with which apps. You can block certain apps for a certain period of time or after a set time has elapsed. It is also possible to block certain content (e.g. age-restricted movies or games). With the help of family sharing – another Apple function – these settings can also be made on other devices.
To set up the screen time:
You can find step-by-step instructions on how to set up Screen Time on the Apple support pages.
On Android devices, Digital Wellbeing is integrated as a function in the settings as of Android 9. Here you can see at a glance how often the smartphone and the individual apps were used. Android offers three options for regulating media time at once:
Android also offers a step-by-step guide to setting up Digital Wellbeing .
Parental controls on Apple devices: Screen Time also offers the option of regulating your child’s smartphone use and, for example, preventing purchases in the App Store or content with certain age ratings. Detailed instructions on parental controls are available from Apple Support.
Parental control on Android devices: The parental control functions are not directly integrated into the operating system of Android devices. You can still keep an eye on your child’s media use with the free Google Family Link app. More detailed information can be found on the Google help pages.
As a general rule, you should keep in mind that your child may feel controlled by you by regulating his or her media use. Therefore, talk openly with your child about the setting options and consider together which ones make sense.
As your child becomes more independent over time, settings should be reconsidered regularly. Of course, the older your child is, the more he or she will know how to avoid certain settings. However, if you trust your child, there is usually no reason to do so.
Also think together about how you want to organize media time and media-free time in the family. Set a good example by demonstrating responsible use of digital media yourself.
Even for the very youngest children, the world of media is omnipresent. The miniKIM study, initiated by the Media Education Research Association Southwest, provides insightful data on the media behavior of children between the ages of two and five. This article summarizes the key findings of the latest 2023 study and provides practical tips for parents.
Access to smart devices: The study shows that access to smart devices is increasing among young children. Around one in five children has their own tablet and one in ten has access to a smartphone. These devices are often used for both educational and entertainment purposes.
Parental attitudes: Many parents are of the opinion that smartphones harbor many risks for young children and should be viewed rather critically. However, around half of those surveyed also see advantages in its use, such as the potential to learn new things and playful education.
Streaming and media consumption: Streaming services are now also popular with the youngest children and have supplemented or even replaced traditional television as the main source of moving image content.
Responsibility and media education: The study emphasizes the importance of supervised media use to ensure a safe and positive environment for young children. It is recommended that parents monitor their children’s media activities and select appropriate content.
In addition to this article, we also offer in-depth insights into media use of older children with the KIM Study 2022 and of young people with the JIM study.
The results and further information on the miniKIM Study 2023 can be found in detail on the website of the Media Education Research Association Southwest.
Media are omnipresent and play a central role in children’s everyday lives. The KIM study by the Media Education Research Association Southwest regularly provides insights into the media use of children between the ages of six and 13 in Germany. This article summarizes the most important findings of the latest 2022 study and provides tips on how parents can better support their children in dealing with media.
In addition to this article, we also offer in-depth insights into the media use of younger children with the miniKIM study and the media habits of teenagers with the JIM study.
The results and further information on the KIM Study 2022 can be found in detail on the website of the Media Education Research Association Southwest.
