It’s actually forbidden – and yet surprisingly present: On social media platforms like TikTok and Facebook but also in messengers like WhatsApp and Telegram there is a drug scene in which some very young users are active.
Illegal drugs are finding their way into the public domain via social media platforms like TikTok. Under corresponding hashtags, the popular short video app features videos of users talking about their own drug use or showing it live. This goes from weed and mushrooms to meth, MDMA or heroin. According to both Germanyouth media protection laws and the platforms’ community rules, such videos are prohibited. Some videos come from children and young people who get encouragement for their behavior via likes and comments.
Social media has not only made the topic of drugs itself more visible. It may also be easier to find the drugs themselves via websites or groups, if contact can be made with dealers there.
The problem with this drug scene, which is just a click away: the colorful images, the fun depicted, the feeling of being in a group of like-minded people, as well as unifying elements like the music initially seem inviting. Often drug use is trivialized in the videos, experiments are praised and supported by other users. This can create a completely false image of drug use as recreational fun among adolescents. Children and young people in particular, who are looking for support and confirmation, can easily be attracted to such content.
It can be problematic that platforms often suggest similar videos to their users again with the help of algorithms. This can make topics that you deal with more and more present.
According to the community guidelines, such videos are of course not permitted – neither consumption and glorification nor the sale of drugs on the platforms. TikTok therefore blocks obvious hashtags or deletes posts and groups if they are noticed or reported. However, not all newly invented hashtags can always be blocked immediately.
In terms of both media and drug use, the golden road is a trusting relationship and open communication. Stay in touch with your child and show interest in them and their media use. In the best case, you will notice early on if your child encounters questionable content or has questions or problems. Then you can find a way to deal with it together.
If your child is still very young, you can also control his or her media use technically – for example, with the help of the accompanied mode on TikTok.
If you feel your child is changing, has mental health issues, or may already be in contact with drugs, there are several steps you can take:
“Now put the phone down!”
“I think you’ve played long enough now!”
Do these sentences sound familiar? You may be worried that your child is spending too much time with media and that this is harming his or her health or disrupting family times together. But how much media time is actually problematic?
Digital media are not going away. They offer us many opportunities to be creative, to learn and to stay in touch in difficult times or across city and country borders. This year, children and young people between the ages of 12 and 19 spent an average of four hours a day using media. That is almost twice as long as ten years ago. The Corona pandemic is partly responsible. Two years ago, it was just over three hours a day.
Children also take their cue from their parents. Today, we can hardly imagine everyday life without media: We use the laptop for online shopping, the ticket app for the bus ride, the TV at the end of the day.
Smartphone, TV & Co are everyday for children and exert a strong attraction. It becomes difficult for parents when their children cannot find an ending. The brain of adolescents is still developing. That’s why it’s harder for them to stop, even when they’ve actually had enough. Using a medium intensively at times during a particular phase of life, such as puberty, can be unproblematic. Sometimes it can even help to get through this phase But excessive use can lead to stress or sleep disorders. In rarer cases, neglect of friends and school and loss of control may occur. If you observe such excessive behavior over an extended period of time, it is important to talk to your child and possibly seek counseling. To protect your children from this, it is therefore important to guide them in their use of media.
There is no clear answer to the question of how much media time is good for your child. Various guidebooks provide recommendations on media times. However, these are rough guide values. Much more important than the duration of use, in addition to the age and stage of development of your child, is the accompaniment of parents:
It is not uncommon for the use of cell phones, tablets and the like to lead to arguments in the family. Surely you are familiar with the discussions about how long the child is allowed to play on the tablet. Many parents worry that it’s unhealthy for their child to spend too much time with digital media. But at what point is way too much and constant media use already addiction?
Apart from the fun factor, there are some psychological aspects that make it hard for us to put the tablet or game console aside again. For example, many computer games, whether played on a smartphone or a console, do not have a set ending. The things we do in everyday life usually have a beginning and an end and we turn to something else after that. That’s not usually the case with games. Your child could theoretically play endlessly from level to level. Each level becomes more challenging and your child gets the ambition to pass the next level as well.
It’s a similar story with messenger services and social networks. About WhatsApp, Instagram, etc., we are always reachable and can communicate with others quickly and easily at any time. Social networks are specially designed to keep us on the platform for a long time by always displaying (new) information through scrolling. This can also influence the mood of the users. And when your son or daughter posts a picture on Instagram and gets likes and positive comments on it, it acts like a social reward. It activates the same areas in the brain as eating candy or taking drugs.
Let me say right away: There is no such thing as an “Internet addiction”! But certain things and activities on the Internet can be addictive. However, to speak of addiction is often not correct at all, because there is more to it than spending a lot of time with one thing. If you want to know more about it, read this post by Quarks.
As a parent, you should be aware that excessive use of certain media is not uncommon among children and young people at times – for example, in times of a pandemic or during puberty. However, if your child’s behavior with certain media seems conspicuous over a longer period of time and causes you concern, you should observe your child closely and take action if necessary.
The most important tip for dealing with media is: Talk to your child about what media he or she uses and why. Show interest and stay in the conversation about what your child’s current favorite game is, what videos they like to watch, what platforms they’re on, and what’s so great about them. Sharing can prevent problematic behavior. Explain to your child what platforms like Instagram work to keep users with them as long as possible.
If your child’s media use seems uncontrolled and too much, and your son prefers to sit in front of the screen instead of meeting friends, you should agree on fixed media times together. Extreme mood swings before, during and after using certain media or neglecting school and friends are also indicative of problematic use. It may also mean that your child is not yet ready to use media completely independently. Which is not to say that media should be off-limits. Guide your child in their use and agree on rules about when they can use what media.
If you are at a loss and your child’s problematic behavior continues, you and your child also have the option of visiting addiction counseling centers at any time.
You should also monitor and investigate whether there may be other reasons behind constant media use. For example, your child may want to distract himself from other problems by playing computer games. Seek discussion with your child and get outside help if necessary!
The German Children’s Fund’s Children’s Report 2021 also deals with media addiction and how children, young people and adults perceive excessive media use.
Digital lessons in the morning, a video call with your girlfriend in between, and computer games as evening entertainment – this is probably what everyday life looks like in many families. When school and sports clubs are closed and contacts have to be limited, children and young people spend more time with media. In this article, we explain how you can sensibly accompany your child in media use, even in lockdown.
In lockdown, many media-free activities are cancelled or moved to the Internet: Classes are not held in the classroom but via video conferencing. Instead of tutoring, explanation videos help with schoolwork. Soccer practice is cancelled and replaced by a sports video on YouTubereplaced. Instead of meeting friends, children and teenagers play computer games or spend their time with TikTok, Instagram, and other apps.This quickly adds up to many hours a day that your child spends in front of screens. Established rules on media time are no longer observed. As a parent, you may be concerned that your child is on their cell phone too much and their media use is becoming excessive and problematic.
Using media more during lockdown is normal and probably applies to you as much as it does to your child. In addition, if you feel that your child is too attached to the smartphone or game console, you should openly address him or her about it. You may well be surprised at how competently and consciously your child uses media to cope with the current situation. For example, if it spends a lot of time on social media, it’s probably its way of still keeping in touch with friends. TikTok videos from influencers in other countries can also help you feel in touch with the world “out there.”
Perhaps you have agreed on fixed media times in the family and recorded these, for example, in a media usage contract . In the current situation, it is important to adjust the agreements or to record any at all. Distinguish between learning and leisure time. After all, the time your child spends watching explainer videos for school should not be subtracted from the time they are allowed to watch videos for entertainment. This is all the more important because many platforms that children and young people use in their free time now include learning content, for example on TikTok or YouTube . Binding agreements can help your child not to be distracted by fun content while learning, but to enjoy it in a relaxed way after schoolwork. Be aware of your role model function : explain to your child when you use your smartphone and computer for work and when you use them for entertainment. Binding rules that you establish together and to which all family members adhere create clarity and trust.
At the same time, it is important to schedule screen-free times to avoid digital stress. A family game night or cooking together are a nice balance to the evening computer games or Netflix watching. Exercise in the fresh air on a weekend outing is good for everyone in the family and creates great memories. But media can also be used to diversify the time: If your child likes to craft, you can watch YouTube to find creative DIY projects, or do puzzles together while listening toradio plays or podcasts . We have put together a collection of creative media projects for you here.
When young people are fascinated by something, they can lose themselves completely in it. When playing sports or reading an exciting book, this is usually pleasing; when playing computer games excessively, it causes most adults more concern. At the latest when you have the feeling that your child is neglecting his or her social environment, you will ask yourself: Does computer gaming make you lonely?
Computer gaming doesn’t make you lonely any more than it makes you aggressive. However, teenagers who play a lot of computer games can be quite lonely. The question of why is important!
Loneliness can be a consequence of computer game addiction. When young people have the urge to play more and more often and for longer periods of time, social (offline) contacts, other hobbies and activities have little room left. Friends and family may turn away. Crucially, there is a trigger for such an addiction and those affected often want to distract themselves from negative feelings by playing computer games.
Sometimes it’s the other way around and teens can become addicted to computer games because they are lonely. Those who feel they don’t get enough attention in the real world may find it in the virtual world. However, the supposed solution makes the problem worse: retreating to offline life leads to more isolation and low self-confidence.
Find out when there is a risk of addiction and what you can do as a parent in our article on computer game addiction. Genuinely addictive behavior like this is rather rare.
More media use in times of Corona:
When social contacts have to be restricted and hardly any leisure activities outside the home or sports in the club are possible – as in times of a pandemic – the daily media usage time increases among children and young people. This has also been shown in studies (such as that of the DAK). Have a look at this without condemning increased media usage time. Because your child wants to stay in touch with friends and experience something together. This works especially well in computer games. Consider together if there are alternatives or a good balance to this. For example, you can do family game nights together. But also remember that social contact with peers is important for your child. Special times require special rules! This can also apply to media usage time.
Most successful games can be played together. In games development, this is called network capability. For most gamers, it is precisely playing together that is appealing. A headset and a chat are used to communicate with each other. In team-based games such as the popular League of Legends, it’s especially important to be able to communicate well with each other.
If your child plays a lot of computer games, keep in mind that he or she may well be interacting with others, having fun, and perhaps even being really social. Show interest in his hobby and let him tell you about it. You should take notice, however, if you feel that playing on the team is becoming a regular obligation, leaving no room for other hobbies or activities. Talk openly with your child about your concerns and consider together how he or she can achieve a healthy balance between computer games and other activities.
BTW: This applies not only to computer gaming, but also to other media activities such as watching TV or using social media.
When it comes to the question of whether media use can make people violent, computer games are often discussed, especially the so-called first-person shooters. Parents, teachers and even some scientists fear a direct and negative effect on children and young people. The biggest concern: the content could inspire real acts of violence. This has not yet been proven. A game alone does not make you aggressive or violent.
In games that involve using violence to take out other characters, gamers look at the game world from their character’s perspective. So in these first-person shooters, it looks like you’re running and shooting through a 3D world with a gun yourself. Famous shooters are Counter-Strike , Battlefield, Call of Duty . This game genre is enormously successful and has become an indispensable part of the scene. Fortnite is considered particularly sensitive because it mixes elements from first-person shooters with childish and friendly graphics and therefore appeals to young gamers.
It is believed that games containing violence can have a negative effect on children and adolescents. That is why the USK, as part of the protection of minors in the media, checks all games and sets age limits. The older a child is, the better he or she can distinguish between play and reality.
When it comes to the portrayal of violence, the USK checks, among other things, whether the game appears dark and threatening or rather bright and positive, whether the game characters look like people and you can see red blood, whether gamers can identify with the character, and whether acts of war are glorified or also criticized. Depending on how many criteria are combined, a decision is made as to the age at which the game may be made available to children and young people. However, games with a higher age rating are sometimes particularly appealing to young people because they want to test their limits.
Computer games, like other media, can have negative effects in extreme cases, for example, if they are used too much and there is no balance to media use.
Some of the communication in gamer forums and chats is pretty harsh and mean and can scare your child. But that doesn’t mean it has to happen with your child. Because such effects vary from person to person, because each person behaves differently in certain situations. Children and adolescents who are also otherwise prone to violence, are often alone, and have no other interests are more at risk than others. No one becomes aggressive or violent because of a game with violent content.
The youth release should be respected. The older your child is and the less insight you have into their media use, the more difficult this is for you. That’s why you should stay in conversation with your child. Ask what is fascinating about it and question depictions of violence. Your child may explain that the game is also about skill, athletic goals, puzzles, or solving problems together. Most of the time, it’s not just about violence alone, otherwise it would also quickly become boring. Let them tell you or show you the game. You should also explain to your child why you insist that he or she play only age-appropriate games.
Talk to other parents if your child pretends that the others are already allowed to play a game despite the age restriction. Perhaps you can agree on rules together that also apply to the best friend.
More information is available at the USK’s Parents’ Guide.
Do you ever wonder why your child just won’t put his smartphone aside even though you’ve asked him to do so three times? Maybe you’ve even caught yourself just checking something and ten minutes later you still have your phone in your hand.
On the one hand, this is due to ourselves: Social media offers are diverse and therefore exciting for young and old. Second, the companies behind the offerings want us to spend time with them. Only if many people make intensive use of their offerings will it be profitable for them. Accordingly, it is exciting to take a close look at the mechanisms of social media.
One strategy to make money is to run personalized ads. The longer we use an offer, the more data the app can collect about our usage habits and interests. That’s why apps and social media offerings are programmed so that we like to use them a lot.
Some people find it particularly difficult to put their smartphone aside from time to time. Some psychological tricks can even enhance this effect. This includes flashing lights and sound effects, the signal color red, the endless scrolling, the swipe function and a lot more.
To relieve negative feelings or boredom, we distract ourselves. Sweets, for example, are popular good-mood makers. Through them, hormones such as endorphins are released in the body, which make us feel positive. A Like on the latest selfie also makes you happy.
Especially for young people, the knowledge of belonging and being liked is important. They are still figuring out who they are. That’s why feedback from peers and role models is paramount. So positive feedback on a photo or a post makes you happy.
Scrolling and swiping in certain apps can also be fun or exciting. Playful elements can therefore also trigger positive feelings, which is why people keep picking up their smartphones. In addition, the latest posts on TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat & Co. are entertaining. Especially when people are not doing so well, apps and social media are a popular way to distract themselves and feel better. However, these offers do not solve the cause of the unpleasant feeling.
But negative feelings such as stress can also be associated with media use. Young people are downright afraid of missing out on something because they haven’t checked their news for a while, for example.
You can’t get enough of positive feelings. This can lead to some people having the smartphone in their hands all the time and neglecting other things. Social media offerings, in turn, are developed so that we like to use them a lot. This can lead to “too much” in interaction. But addiction involves more than excessive use. One speaks of addiction only when the behavior continues over a long period of time (about a year), the affected person has no strategies to change anything about it and neglects everything else.
So if you or your child spends a lot of time on your smartphone, know that social media and apps can support certain behaviors. Talk to your child about this and consider together rules and strategies for dealing with media and for media-free times.
Children love to play. But especially when it comes to computer games, many parents are unsure how much playtime is appropriate for their child and when there is a risk of addiction.
Diving into other worlds, slipping into different roles, mastering difficult tasks, experiencing exciting stories and escaping reality for a short time – all this makes gaming tempting for children, whether on the computer or outside with friends. Games in particular offer countless opportunities to experience adventures and compete with others. What’s difficult about gaming is sometimes stopping again, because many games don’t have a clear end.
There are very few people who are actually “addicted” to computer games in the medical sense. The word comes up quickly in everyday life, even if it’s not actually appropriate. Just because your child spends a lot of time playing computer games doesn’t usually mean he or she is addicted. Nevertheless, in addition to talking to your child, firm rules will help if you feel he or she is playing too much and neglecting friends or school. Because “eccentric consumption” can also be problematic. More hints can be found here.
An addiction or dependency is a disease. It’s not a matter of “how long” or “how often,” but “why.” Observe your child to find out why they are so captivated by a game. If you’re worried your child might be addicted, you can look at some risk factors that could indicate your child might be addicted to gambling. If you observe the following in your child over an extended period of time, you should seek help:
These are just a few of the many characteristics that can be typical of a computer game addiction. However, be aware: Only experts can make a medical diagnosis!
If you suspect a computer game addiction in your child, the first thing you should do is address it openly. Show understanding and think together about what rules can make it play less. If you can no longer find access to your child, addiction counseling centers offer support and can provide concrete contacts. There are these in larger cities and also online. Research jobs in your area online or contact, for example: http://www.fv-medienabhaengigkeit.de/hilfe-finden.html or https://www.nummergegenkummer.de/. An addiction usually has other causes than computer gaming itself. You should find these out by talking to your child and with the help of professionals.
