The overwhelming range of films, series, apps and other media presents parents with the challenge of getting an overview in order to select the right content for their children. After all, the selection should not only be age-appropriate, but also entertaining and, ideally, educational. We have put together a few suggestions on where you can find age-appropriate media for your child.
The choice of media should always be based on your child’s stage of development. Media offerings are tailored to different age groups, and it is important that you as parents pay attention to this. Age recommendations and descriptions of the content can provide helpful information. However, you know your child best, so you can use this as the best basis for determining whether the offer might suit your child.
In descriptions of media offerings – whether apps, films or games – there are sometimes different age specifications. A distinction must be made between recommendations, general terms and conditions and age ratings. Specifications and approvals usually have a legal background. For example, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) stipulates that certain apps, such as WhatsApp and TikTok may only be used from the age of 13.
The description in the app stores often contains a different age indication – namely that the app has been approved by the youth media protection authorities. The age ratings issued by self-regulatory bodies such as the FSK or USK rate media according to statutory youth protection criteria. In each case, it is examined whether media content could be dangerous for the development and health of children and adolescents. For example, through the depiction of violence or pornography. Or whether children can be exposed to contact risks through the use of a service. It is not checked whether a plot in a series and characters are understood at a certain age. This means that a Disney movie that is released from the age of “0” is by no means suitable for babies. It just doesn’t pose a risk to them. Access to media for children is to be regulated by means of age labels and technical protection measures. But this only works if you as parents also pay attention.
When it comes to selecting content, age recommendations made by (media) educational institutions, for example, will help you. We look to see whether the content corresponds to the lifeworld of the respective age group and whether it is understandable and appealing.
The media landscape for children of nursery and primary school age is huge; older children and young people often switch to adult offerings because there are fewer offerings tailored to them.
Here you can find good media offers and information:
The selection and examination of media offerings requires time and attention. However, by making conscious decisions and communicating openly, you can ensure that your child uses positive and developmentally relevant media content.
Do not rely solely on recommendations, as every child develops differently. Actively accompany your child in their media consumption right from the start in order to understand how they react to certain content.
Has your child ever chatted with Napoleon or Harry Potter? This is now possible with character.ai. The service allows users to create and use chat bots. These bots are trained with the help of artificial intelligence and can authentically imitate well-known personalities or fictional characters in live chats. What sounds harmless at first, however, can also harbor risks.
Chat bots use technology based on artificial intelligence (AI). They are programmed so that they can imitate a conversation with a real person. By chatting with users, the bots are constantly learning. The special thing about charakter.ai is that users can create such chat bots themselves and customize their personality. Users can make their bots publicly accessible so that everyone in the community can chat with them. The basic language of the website, the app and the chat bots is currently English. Many bots also understand other languages and can even communicate in German.
The appeal lies first of all in chatting with the bots already created and shared by the community. On the homepage, children and young people will find a whole host of popular chat bots that they can talk to immediately. Most of them are based on well-known people such as celebrities, politicians, historical figures or fictional characters from books, films or anime. This gives children and young people the impression of coming into direct contact with their heroes and role models. Chatbots are also used for practical purposes. For language learning, users can chat with a bot in a foreign language. If you want to write a story, you can create fictional characters as a bot and develop a story together.
In addition to the many opportunities offered bycharacter.ai, there are also risks for children and young people that you as parents should be aware of.
On the one hand, the answers of the chat bots are generated by the AI technology and are neither categorized nor checked for factual accuracy. This can be particularly problematic with chat bots that imitate real people. It must always be clear to users that this is not real information about the people being imitated.
On the other hand, it is possible to train the chat bots to engage in problematic behavior such as sexting or spreading radical political messages. As it is not possible to see exactly how a bot was trained, users should be particularly vigilant here. character.ai does try to use filters to prevent problematic content from being generated. However, there are numerous easily accessible instructions on the Internet on how to bypass these filters.
Character.ai itself has specified an age restriction of 16 years. However, this is only checked by entering the date of birth when registering and can therefore be easily bypassed. There are also warnings within the chat function that you should not take the chat bot’s answers seriously, as the answers may not correspond to reality.
Character.aiis approved by the provider from the age of 16. Weigh up whether you trust your child to use the service responsibly. If you allow your child to use character.ai, stay in touch with your child about the conversations they have with chat bots and be vigilant. Explain to your child how AI-supported technologies work and the opportunities and risks involved:
Explore together with your child the possibilities offered by character.ai to prepare your child optimally for dealing with AI-based chat tools. You might even create a chat bot yourself and share it with the community.
“With Pokémon Sleep, you can turn your sleep into entertainment!”. This is how the Pokémon Company advertises its new game – with success. The Google Play Store has recorded more than 5 million app downloads since its release in July 2023. The catch: the app accompanies children and young people to bed and collects sensitive health data in the process.
Pokémon Sleep is an app that embeds human sleep in a gaming experience. Players have to help Professor Neroli with sleep research on an adventure island and work together with the Pokémon Relaxo. The app records noises and movements during the night and uses the data collected to create a sleep log. The longer users sleep, the higher their score the next morning and the more new Pokémon appear around Relaxo. Sleep is divided into three types: Semi-sleep, light sleep or deep sleep. In the morning, Pokémon appear that sleep in a similar way. During the day, players can explore sleeping poses, feed the Pokémon and carry out other game activities. The aim is to record as much sleep as possible and thus collect many different Pokémon and poses. The app is also compatible with Pokémon GO Plus, which is the gadget for the game Pokémon GO.
Whether as playing cards, a TV series or a video game – many children and young people grow up with Pokémon and love the little monsters. Pokémon is aimed at young people’s passion for collecting. With Pokémon Sleep, players can get new Pokémons and take care of them without much effort. Getting information about sleep behavior appeals to young people’s love of discovery. Tasks from the friendly Professor Neroli and rewards such as bonus cookies make children and young people want to spend time in the game world with the Pokémons.
Consumer protection warns that Pokémon Sleep monitors the sleeping behavior of children and young people and that the game concept can encourage addictive behavior:
In this test, the data protection website mobilsicher.de proved that the app sends data to advertisers. The audio recordings are saved locally and deleted after 24 hours. However, users’ sleep profiles are stored on company servers. The Pokémon Company states that it does not sell sensitive data of minors for advertising purposes. It is not possible for minors to link their accounts with those of friends. The provider advises you to switch off the audio recording function to save data.
Protect your child’s privacy online and avoid data-hungry apps such as Pokémon Sleep. Younger children in particular can be very absorbed by this game directly before and after sleep, but also during the day. Children are not yet able to assess the implications of sleep monitoring in connection with digital currency.
If your child is older and really wants to use the app, please note the following information:
What would it have looked like to have attended a US high school thirty years ago? This question is on the minds of many on the web right now. Under the hashtag #yearbookchallenge circulate on TikTok and Instagram numerous photos in the style of yearbook portraits from the 1990s. Behind the viral trend is a paid AI app.
In the Yearbook Challenge, users create photos of themselves in the style of an American yearbook from the 1990s using the app Epik – AI Photo Editor. The app uses artificial intelligence to rejuvenate the face and add different hairstyles, clothes and accessories. A challenge becomes who mixes his real yearbook photo under the new pictures and asks the followers which one is the original. Both celebrities and many influencers have already taken part in the trend.
“Just graduated from high school for $6.99! What do you think of the photos?”. The allure of transforming yourself into an American high school teenager is tied to all the myths and dreams surrounding a school days in the US. Teenagers enjoy using AI apps to edit their own selfies so that they look like something out of a high school series. In addition, it is exciting for them to receive photos that look similar to the pictures from their parents’ youth. Many young people also emulate their role models on social media and want to get in on the current trend as well.
Several selfies are needed for photo editing. The South Korean app developer SNOW is behind the app Epik. Anyone who uploads photos agrees that they will be stored and processed by the app. In addition, personal data must be entered in the app. The AI-generated photos borrow heavily from gender stereotypes such as poses and clothing, and beauty ideals such as smooth skin and symmetrical faces. The AI app erases irregularities of the original images altogether. Full body photos in particular are greatly altered by making them slimmer. Similar to the use of face filters, participating in the Yearbook Challenge can lead to distorted self-perception and unhealthy comparison to supposedly perfect bodies of others.
If your child would like to participate in the Yearbook Challenge, here are some things to keep in mind:
The app can be fun and creative way to see yourself in different roles and ages. Why not try out different AI image generators together and talk about the results?
The most popular messenger, even among children and teenagers, is WhatsApp. This is because communication is practical and easy, and many other people use it. Unfortunately, there are a few negative sides to the popular service.
WhatsApp is a free messenger. Registration requires a cell phone number and access to contacts’ phone numbers. After that, profile picture and profile name can be assigned.
The main function of WhatsApp is to send messages to people from your own contacts (address book) who also use the app. These can be text and voice messages, photos, videos, files, contacts as well as your own location. They can be sent to individuals or a whole group. Individual and group calls as well as video telephony are also possible. Among teenagers, sending emojis and GIFs is especially popular. They can also respond to individual messages with emojis. Self-deleting messages can be sent, which automatically disappear from the device after seven days. And there is the possibility to send photos and videos, which may be viewed only once and then disappear.
Via WhatsApp it is only possible to contact someone whose number you have. When receiving a message from an unknown number, the contact can be controlled using the “add” or “block” buttons. Calls from unknown numbers can be muted.
With the chat lock function, selected chats can be made virtually invisible. These then only appear in a certain category and are protected by a code, Face ID or fingerprint.
Young people like to use the app because it allows them to quickly get in touch with acquaintances and family members, since almost everyone uses WhatsApp. Teachers and classmates in class chats, grandparents as well as friends in other countries are just a click away. Users can exchange information with their contacts and see when they were last online. Via the profile picture and the so-called status they can share impressions from their life (similar to Instagram). Fast communication via voice messages is particularly popular among young people.
Especially the read receipt function (two blue check marks on a message) can put young people under pressure to always reply directly. Even though hundreds of messages are sometimes exchanged daily in a class chat, this can overwhelm and stress children and young people. In addition, fakenews is often spread via class chats. Pictures and messages are sent quickly. There is a risk that personal data, pictures and videos will be carelessly shared, redistributed or used for bullying. Also dubious sweepstakes, Chain letters or misleading notifications can be problematic – before all, even sexting.
Since there are hardly any privacy settings on WhatsApp, users have to be careful themselves about what content they send or post in their status. They should only be ones that everyone is allowed to read or see.
In addition, WhatsApp accesses a lot of information about the users, e.g., the entire contact list in the cell phone. This is how foreign contact data gets to WhatsApp and other people without being asked.
WhatsApp offers so-called “channels” under “News”. This is a type of group chat in which only the person who created it can write something. Channels are used by celebrities, influencers and companies to stay in touch with their target groups and fans. However, be careful: messages, images and videos that are not suitable for children and young people may also appear on channels.
WhatsApp, just like Instagram , belongs to the Meta group (formerly Facebook). The GTCs in force since 2021 inform that user data will also be passed on to companies for advertising purposes.
Certain security settings are supposed to improve the usage: People or phone numbers can be blocked; location tracking and read receipts can be deactivated. Users can limit the visibility of their own profile. Messages are exchanged in encrypted form, so they cannot be easily “hacked” by strangers. However, this only works in individual messages and when the backup – i.e. the data backup – is deactivated.
In early 2022, WhatsApp announced that group administrators will be able to delete messages from others. This function has not yet been implemented.
If your child is younger than 16, you must consent to their use of WhatsApp. Make sure your child uses Messenger responsibly. Explain to your child how they can protect their personal information. You should not share sensitive data or photos with unknown people
Help your child understand the privacy settings and configure them correctly… This can be done in the app itself or in the access rights management in the Android or iOS operating system (in each case under Settings). In the app, under the category “Privacy”, you can set who sees what and whether or not you want to be invited to groups by strangers. It may happen that certain functions can no longer be used if certain accesses are denied. The Privacy Check function gives a good overview of the settings. At www.medien-kindersicher.de there are Video instructions on how to safely set WhatsApp on your child’s smartphone.
Talk to your children about communication risks and how they can protect themselves from them. Encourage them to let you know right away if they feel they are not being treated right or are being bullied.
Encourage your child to only contact people they know in real life. Warn against adding unknown contacts. Also, be mindful of your child’s privacy and give your child the space he or she needs. Set a good example yourself by being responsible and respectful with your own digital activities.
Wenn Sie einen Messenger nutzen möchten, der mehr Datensicherheit bietet, lesen Sie unsere Toolbeschreibungen zu Signal und Threema.
TikTok gehört noch immer zu den beliebtesten Apps unter Jugendlichen. Sie ist eine Plattform für kreative Kurzvideos aller Art.
TikTok ist Social-Media-Plattform und Video-App in einem: Userinnen und User können bei TikTok aus einer bunten Sammlung von bekannten Popsongs, beliebten Audios und Zitaten, z. B. aus Filmen, wählen. Dazu „singen“ oder „sprechen“ sie Playback und filmen ihre Choreografie innerhalb der App mit dem Smartphone. Aber auch komplett selbst kreierte Kurzvideos werden umgesetzt. Die meisten Videos sind ein paar Sekunden bis wenige Minuten lang. Bestimmte Clips lösen einen richtigen Hype aus, werden nachgeahmt oder im Sinne eines Trends oder einer Challenge weitergeführt.
Die Videos der TikTokerinnen und TikToker, deren Account öffentlich ist, lassen sich über einen Browser anschauen, ohne dass man bei der App angemeldet sein muss. Um selbst Videos zu erstellen, wird allerdings ein Account benötigt.
TikTok bringt immer mehr Funktionen heraus, z. B. sich im Duett mit anderen Usern filmen, die Clips anderer weiterführen (Stitch) oder Livestreams. Auch Unternehmen nutzen die Plattform, um darüber zu werben.
Jugendliche nutzen TikTok gern zum Spaß und für den Austausch untereinander. Auf TikTok lassen sich die jungen Nutzenden unterhalten, suchen nach Vorbildern, an denen sie sich orientieren können, stellen sich selbst dar und erhoffen sich positive Rückmeldung von anderen.
TikTok ist außerdem eine tolle Plattform, um die eigene Kreativität auszuleben. Die Hürde, ein eigenes Video zu erstellen und zu teilen, ist niedrig: In der App gibt es viele Videoeffekte und eine Musikbibliothek mit beliebten Songs, die sofort verwendet werden können.
Kinder und Jugendliche schätzen an TikTok, dass es darin weniger um Perfektion und Professionalität geht, wie auf Instagram oder YouTube, sondern Kreativität und Spaß im Vordergrund stehen. Die Videos sind näher am Alltag und die TikTokerinnen und TikToker werden als nahbarer empfunden.
There are a number of things you and your child should consider before using the app:
TikTok ist sich der Gefahr von verstörenden und unerwünschten Inhalten bewusst und passt seine Sicherheitseinstellungen immer wieder an. Folgende Sicherheitsfeatures stehen Jugendlichen und Ihnen als Eltern zur Verfügung:
Generell lassen sich Accounts melden und/oder blockieren und es gibt einen Filter für beleidigende Kommentare.
In der App wird nach der Registrierung durch einen roten Punkt auf die Einstellungen verwiesen. Im Sicherheitszentrum der TikTok-Website können Eltern Tipps nachlesen.
Personen, die selbst TikToks erstellen und veröffentlichen, können seit einiger Zeit „Alle Kommentare filtern“ und einzeln freigeben. Wer die TikToks anderer kommentieren möchten, wird vorher gefragt, ob dieser Kommentar auch wirklich veröffentlicht werden soll. Außerdem gibt es einen Hinweis auf die Community-Richtlinien, die unangemessene Sprache und Hate Speech verbieten.
TikTok steht wegen seiner Moderationsregeln in der Kritik, denn offenbar wird durch den speziellen Algorithmus stark kontrolliert, welche Videos die Nutzenden sehen können. Auf diese Kritik hat TikTok reagiert. Nutzende haben mittlerweile mehr Optionen, Einfluss auf die vom TikTok-Algorithmus angezeigten Inhalte in ihrem Feed zu nehmen:
Sie können Videos nun mit „nicht interessiert“ markieren oder konkrete Inhalte mit bestimmten Hashtags oder Wörtern automatisch herausfiltern. Seit März 2023 stellt TikTok eine Neustart-Option für den Für-Dich-Feed zur Verfügung. Wer findet, dass die vorgeschlagenen Videos sich wiederholen oder nicht mehr zu den Interessen passen, kann den Feed zurücksetzen und nutzt die App wie nach der erstmaligen Anmeldung. Trotz dieser Maßnahmen bleibt der Für-Dich-Feed Algorithmus-gesteuert und bleibt somit nach wie vor in der Hand des Anbieters. So filtert TikTok zum Beispiel immer wieder Videos von Menschen mit Beeinträchtigungen heraus und je nach Nutzungs-Land kann es sein, dass die Videos der Zensur ihrer dortigen Regierungen unterliegen.
Wenn Ihr Kind sich bei TikTok anmelden möchte, fragen Sie nach seiner Motivation. Sehen Sie sich vor dem Download gemeinsam die Nutzungsbedingungen an. Bei Handysektor finden Sie diese in einem kurzen Überblick. Um TikTok zu erkunden, ist es nicht notwendig, einen Account zu erstellen. Vielleicht ist das Surfen auf TikTok via Browser für den Anfang eine gute Option für Ihr Kind, um herauszufinden, ob ihm TikTok überhaupt gefällt.
Wenn es irgendwann einen Account geben soll, richten Sie diesen gemeinsam ein und probieren Sie zusammen die ersten Schritte aus. Geben Sie das richtige Geburtsjahr an. Für 13- bis 17-Jährige greifen gewisse Sicherheitsfeatures, die den Jugendschutz erhöhen. Eine Anleitung zu kindersicheren Einstellungen TikTok finden Sie auf medien-kindersicher.de.
Sprechen Sie mit Ihrem Kind über die möglichen Gefahren. Besonders wichtig ist, auf die Privatsphäre zu achten und in den Videos nicht zu viel von sich preiszugeben. Im privaten Modus ist mehr Kontrolle möglich. So ist die Kommunikation nur mit Freundinnen und Freunden möglich und Ihr Kind behält den Überblick darüber, wer die Videos sehen kann.
Versichern Sie Ihrem Kind, dass es sich jederzeit an Sie wenden kann, sollte es Beleidigungen erhalten oder belästigt werden. Zeigen Sie ihm außerdem, wie man unangemessene Inhalte blockieren und melden kann. Mehr Informationen dazu bietet der Leitfaden für Eltern von TikTok in Zusammenarbeit mit der FSM.
Um die eigene Privatsphäre und die von anderen besser zu schützen, muss bei einem Video nicht unbedingt immer das Gesicht zu sehen sein. Mit Hilfe von Emoji-Stickern oder anderen kreativen Lösungen ist das möglich.
Lovely animations, child-friendly illustrations and interactive content: There are a variety of learning and creative apps that have been specially developed for toddlers to support them in their development. We present a few apps for toddlers.
Children are fundamentally curious and learn through active trial and error. Learning and creative apps can support this natural learning process and promote cognitive and creative development. For example, there are apps that teach the alphabet or quantities, or let you solve puzzles and riddles. Children can also draw in apps, create their own artwork or tell stories. The playful design makes the learning process fun and can motivate children to express themselves or develop further.
You and your child can get apps in a number of ways. But it’s not easy to find the right product from the almost endless list of apps. For your search we recommend the DJI database, Seitenstark, SIN – Studio im Netz or the Spieleratgeber NRW.
This selection of apps is particularly suitable for getting started – for example, for two- to five-year-olds. Whether an app is really suitable for your child is individual and you know best. The apps all contain no advertising or in-app purchases. What else makes a good app for kids, we describe in this article.
The app for the show with the elephant offers, in addition to shows and laughs and factual stories, numerous games such as painting, puzzles, programming, dodging obstacles, hiding and rubbing a treasure chest free in pairs. With the help of the elephant alarm clock, the duration of the game time can be set.[iOS/Android/Amazon, Free]
As a firefighter, get to know the everyday life of the fire department. Your child experiences firefighting operations in the app and learns in a playful way how to behave correctly in the event of a fire. The self-explanatory and predominantly wordless tasks should be emphasized, which even young children can master perfectly.[iOS/Android, free of charge]
The app is based on the children’s series and offers children’s movies and music to sing along to, as well as some learning games such as a dress-up game, a flower chorus, cookie dominoes, a packing game, frog hopping or an ant rally. Again, no reading skills are required.[iOS/Android, free]
Discover his island together with Fiete the sailor: sort apples into a basket, mount tires on a car or crack eggs into the pan. The interactive picture book app can be controlled by simple and intuitive tapping and swiping motions. The soundscape and animations are also calm and unagitated. [iOS/Android, €3.99]
Select vehicles, hear their names and discover their characteristics. There are three types of games to get to know the vehicles: a puzzle, a spinning game, and a patience game with different difficulty levels. It should be emphasized that the app does not have a reward system.[iOS, €1.99]
Paint and compose – at the same time. To do this, select a motif, a color palette and you can paint colorful pictures and make music with colors and shapes. An overall picture is created from lines, waves and circles. The app promotes the perception of the connection between sound, color and form.[iOS, €2.99]
A read-aloud story in rhyme about a snail in search of itself. On her journey, she meets many animals. The calm and appealing design of the app stands out from many modern apps.[iOS, €1.99]
Shapes and colors, sound recognition, reading and writing the alphabet, numbers and math basics: the app offers several learning games based on the Montessori teaching method. Preschool at home, quasi.[iOS/Android, free of charge, exception: with in-app purchases]
Storybooks and phonics games, tracing letters and practicing writing, math facts and number games. In addition to educational games, the app also offers children’s songs and yoga videos to sing and dance along to – all in English.[iOS/Android/Amazon, Free]
Take time to review apps before providing them to your child. Read reviews from other parents and check if the app is from trusted developers or educational institutions.
Look for age-appropriate content and features. It is important that the app takes into account your child’s developmental level and provides appropriate challenges.
Use the apps as an opportunity for joint activities with your child. Accompany it, ask questions, encourage it to tell or discuss the content. Also, make sure that your child cannot access other apps.
Set rules for screen time– together, depending on age. And pay attention to how your child reacts to using the apps. When showing signs of frustration, overwhelm, or dependency, it is important to reduce screen time and provide alternative activities.
Your own behavior serves as a role model for your child. Try to set an example of a balanced approach to digital media yourself and not let screen time dominate family life excessively.
It is not necessary to have a large number of apps. Rather, focus on a few high-quality apps that match your child’s needs and interests.
Do you think of folk music from the Alps when you hear “yodel”? Then you’re just off the mark. Yodel is a social media app with the distinction of anonymously sharing text messages with a local community. The name Yodel reflects the basic principle of the social media app: Yodel is used as if something is being called from the mountain to the valley.
Anyone who wants to sign up for Yodel needs a Google account, an email address or a cell phone number. The app only works with access to the device location. Users register by specifying their gender, age and group characteristics, such as student or trainee.
Yodel offers the following functions:
Yodel offers the usual social media features like hashtags, reactions, emojis and favorites. Some features are only available against purchase of the offer Yodel PLUS , such as certain background colors for the posts or advertising freedom.
What distinguishes Yodel from other social media services is that there are no profiles, no friends and no followers, and all posts are anonymized. Yodel offers various functions for interacting with each other: users can report inappropriate posts, rate content and collect so-called “karma” points depending on their rating and activities.
“My boyfriend wants to leave me. What should I do?” – “Go a cowboy to the barber. Does he go out, bangs gone”. Many young people are active on Yodel. Young people appreciate the offer because they can post anything that comes into their head without any constraints. From profound questions to funny incidents, everything is included. Here they can find themselves and their interests and can exchange information anonymously and at the same time very personally. Comments and reviews give them recognition and make them feel connected to the local community.
Yodel only works if access to the device location is allowed. Having the GPS signal on the mobile device on all the time has disadvantages for data protection and battery performance. With the help of the location function, the location of Yodel contributions can be tracked to within a few meters with a little effort. Anonymity tempts users to behave inappropriately. Although the posts on Yodel are moderated, they may still include inappropriate content such as nude pictures or hate speech. Love, sex and psychological problems are frequent contents on Yodel.
Yodel was founded in 2014 by a student and is based in Germany. The guidelines of the yodel community contain rules for respectful and positive interaction. All reported comments will be checked by moderation, deleted if necessary and karma points will be deducted from the author. Algorithms identify harmful users and block accounts. Admins decide on the length of the suspension and there is a way for the community to contact support. Due to the interaction between users and the in-app purchases, the USK has issued an age rating of 12+ for the app. The app’s terms of use only allow use from the age of 16. There are no settings for child and youth protection.
Yodel is not suitable for children and younger teenagers. As with other social networks, users face challenges such as cyberbullying, cybergrooming, and hate speech. For this, young people need a certain degree of maturity and experience in dealing with negative content and unpleasant contacts online. If your child is 16 or older and wants to use Yodel, set up the app together. Your child should indicate his true age, because the content is presorted by gender, age and group. Talk to your child about communication risks online and how to deal with them. Agree with your child on how to use the device location responsibly. You can find out more in this article. Make it clear that your child should not share personal information such as address or name with strangers.
After the highly acclaimed launch of the game app Pokémon GO in 2016, there continue to be enthusiastic players worldwide and more and more of these little monsters, called Pokémon. Maybe you know Pikachu, Glumanda and Shiggi from your own childhood – from trading cards or the video game.
In Pokémon GO, the player becomes the trainer. He or she collects Pokémon all around the environment. These are developed, trained and can compete against each other in battle.
Pokemon GO is a so-called location-based game app that only works with an Internet connection, GPS turned on, and camera access. On the cell phone display, the surroundings are shown as a virtual map. On this, the little monsters appear when you move with your smartphone (outdoors). In addition, in some places there are so-called Pokéstops, where you can collect the Pokéballs and other accessories that are important for catching Pokémons, or arenas, where Pokémons of different players compete against each other.
To find certain Pokémons, the player must go to certain places. Because the numerous and different monsters can be found in different places, depending on their strength and characteristics.
The fusion of reality and play certainly inspires not only children and young people. Playing online with Pokémon GO is easy via smartphone, even outdoors and together. You can take the smartphone out of your pocket at any time and search for new monsters in the immediate vicinity. It’s like an exciting treasure hunt or relieves boredom while waiting for the bus, for example.
The different levels of the game also make it entertaining and attractive for young people: collecting and evolving monsters, fighting against each other, competing with each other by leveling up, and constantly evolving the game with new gadgets and new Pokémons. In recent years, more and more events and promotions are being offered for which gamers can buy tickets and network online or offline in real time.
Since Pokémon could theoretically appear anywhere on the road, users of the app tend to always have their eyes on the cell phone display, so caution is advised in traffic. As an add-on, the manufacturer offers the Pokéball Plus: a plastic ball that is connected to the smartphone via Bluetooth and vibrates when a Pokémon appears.
The app can also tempt you to visit unfamiliar places on your own, enter inaccessible places like construction sites, or run off at night to catch certain Pokémon. Make firm rules of the game here. Your child should always go on a quest accompanied by a friendly player, and a parent or guardian should always be aware of the locations visited.
Since there are always new Pokémon, the game virtually never ends. The more and stronger Pokémon you have, the higher your game level. Many children and young people like to compare themselves with each other and want to be better than the others. That’s why the app tempts you to want to keep playing. In the rules for game use, you should therefore determine together with your child how long and how often he or she may access the app.
In terms of data protection, Pokémon GO is subject to some criticism. In order for your child to use the app and go on a Pokémon hunt, GPS reception on the smartphone must be activated at all times. You have to give the app many more permissions, including access to the SD card and the camera. It is not clear to what extent the manufacturer Niantic uses all this data or could use it in the future.
The game is financed via
In-App Purchases
. You acquire virtual Poké coins through game progress or for real money, and in exchange you can get more or less important items. Accessories are also offered in miracle boxes, for example, eggs from which Pokémon hatch. These boxes are also called Lootboxes because the actual value of the content is a matter of luck. To avoid tempting your child, you as a parent can deactivate in-app purchases on iOS or password-protect them on Android. Because even without these in-app purchases, the game is fun!
The game was put under the microscope by Stiftung Warentest in 2019 and was the only one of the games tested to receive the second-best category of “Questionable”, whereas all the others received an “Unacceptable”. The only problem is data privacy: The name of the mobile provider and usage statistics are passed on to third parties, and the privacy policy is not understandable for children.
On the official website of the U.S. game manufacturer Niantic and when launching the app, among other things, the above-mentioned problems are pointed out and tips for safety are given. In addition, guardians are advised to use parental controls in the settings of cell phones. This can be used to limit game time and in-app purchases. Through the Niantic Kids Parent Portal, parents can set up, manage, and customize their child’s game accounts before their first game. More information offers the in-app purchases
Your child is eager to go hunting for Pokémon? Here you are faced with the task of assessing whether your child is aware of the risks being addressed. In addition to data protection issues (especially constant location tracking), this includes whether your child already understands the principle of “augmented reality” – that is, the merging of reality and play.
Always download only the original app (from Niantic). Third-party apps are often infected with malware.
You, as the parent or guardian, must set up a separate children’s account for children under 13. It is recommended to create a new account and not use an existing Google account. Use the Niantic Kids parent portal to manage your child’s game account.
It’s best to discover the game together with your child and agree on rules for the duration of the game, the permitted play radius and in-app purchases. Team up with friendly families and don’t let your child go off on their own. Maybe the game is a good opportunity for a joint Pokémon walk in the fresh air!
Put headphones on your ears and turn on the podcast in your smartphone – and you’re ready to listen! But which platforms and apps can you use to listen to podcasts? Which offers are best suited? What is there to consider?
Podcasts can be listened to in various ways: directly via a provider’s website or via various apps. The apps themselves can be divided into streaming platforms, such as Spotify and Amazon Music, and so-called podcatchers.
Users can also access podcasts through popular audio content platforms. You can search for podcasts using the search or filter function. Some of these are exclusive podcasts that are only available on the respective platform. The apps are usually free, but require registration. If you don’t want to listen to commercials in between, you have to take out a paid subscription.
With Family subscriptions, you can set up a separate account for your child. In it, you can create a playlist of age-appropriate podcasts.
Podcatchers are apps that allow subscribing to podcasts, downloading episodes and listening to them directly. New podcasts can be added via a search function. Such apps are suitable for those who like to listen to podcasts regularly. Podcatchers can access a great many podcasts, for example, content from the ARD audio library. Since the podcatcher offer in the app stores is very large, we have compiled the following selection, which can help in the decision for such a podcast app:
The free app is only available for Android. The range of functions is reduced, but clear. The absolute plus point is the good data protection. The app can also be downloaded and used without a Google account (via the alternative app store F-Droid). It is open source and there is no company behind it that wants to make money with the app.
The app only runs on iOS. It is already pre-installed on the devices. Those who use multiple Apple devices can sync the podcast content, i.e. access it from multiple devices. Unfortunately, certain settings in the app have to be made individually for each podcast, e.g. enable or disable automatic download when a new episode appears. The structure of the app is understandable and clear.
The free app is pre-installed on most Android devices and requires a Google account. Then content can be synchronized across devices. Podcast episodes can also be downloaded and listened to offline.
The free app is only available for iOS. It offers a wider range of features than Apple Podcasts and comes with unusual features, such as Voice Boost, so podcasts sound pleasant and consistently loud. There is no big company behind the app, but a single developer who is a podcaster himself.
The app is available for Android and iOS for free and it is also available as a web app. The app has a wide range of features, including creating your own playlists. Additional functions have to be paid for via in-app purchases, but are not necessary for most users. The app can be a bit confusing for newbies.
The app itself is free, but after a trial period, use must be paid for by subscription. It is available for Android and iOS. In it there are not only podcasts, but also audio plays and audio books.
The free app from a German developer is available for Android and iOS. The special feature: the app does not collect any data from its users. In addition, many of the sometimes innovative features were developed together with podcast fans. The app is suitable for podcast newcomers as well as for frequent listeners.
Podcatchers are not suitable for everyone. If you or your child only listen to podcasts occasionally and use platforms such as Spotify anyway, the corresponding app is certainly sufficient.
Before installing a new app, carefully read the descriptions in the app stores. Pay particular attention to which smartphone features the podcast app wants to access and whether that makes sense for you. You can also install and try apps before deciding to use them together with your child. Remember to uninstall the unused apps and delete the account. This conserves smartphone memory and ensures that unused apps cannot track data.
“I can’t right now – I have to do a BeReal!” It may have sounded like this or similar in your home for some time. The social media app BeReal wants to be different and inspires with its unusual concept: spontaneous snapshots from everyday life instead of staged pictures and videos. BeReal is one of the most downloaded apps in 2022.
BeReal translates as “Be real!”. Once a day, users receive a request from the app to take a photo of themselves in their current situation. The exact time is unknown, varies from day to day and goes out to all users at the same time.
Within two minutes, a photo must then be taken and published simultaneously with the front and rear cameras. The two photos are displayed as picture-in-picture. Other images from the photo gallery cannot be uploaded. Within the given two minutes, you also have to decide whether the image will be shared only with your friends or publicly in the discovery feed. Once the photo is uploaded, the photos of friendly contacts are also viewable. If an image is uploaded at a later time, it will be marked “Late”. The posted recordings will automatically delete from the feed after 24 hours. On certain days, BeReal calls out special challenges.
There are no filters or image editing in the app and no videos can be recorded. Likes cannot be assigned either, and one’s follower count is not publicly visible. Instead, there’s another unusual feature: reacting to other people’s posts with emojis or so-called RealMojis. This can be used to send personalized grimaces and greetings.
Public photos can be seen at any time. Friends can be found and added via synchronization with your own contacts or by searching for usernames. Profiles from the public feed can also be added.
New apps are interesting for young users when they are different. That’s why BeReal is fascinating for teenagers with its new and unusual features. It’s exciting and thrilling because the push message can come at any time. Then spontaneously and under time pressure, a photo must be made – without many attempts and without filters. As long as the app is new and still unfamiliar to many adults, it is particularly attractive to young people because it can set them apart.
From the young people’s point of view, it won’t always be easy to comply with the app’s request because they won’t be able to pull out their phones at any time while at school. For some, the pressure exerted by the push message can be uncomfortable or lead to rashly taking and posting photos in private situations. There can also be social pressure to take photos that are exciting without filters and image editing, and then receive positive comments and reactions accordingly.
When registering on BeReal, personal data such as name or telephone number are collected. In addition, the IP address is stored and data is transmitted unencrypted. If access to the user’s own address book is permitted, the app providers can also access the data of non-BeReal users without being asked. There is a block function for third-party contacts in the Android app (as of September 2022) – but not yet for iOS.
The posted photos can also show other people who were not able to look over the consequences fast enough in the unexpected photo situation and then end up in the app’s public feed. Photos can also be saved and redistributed unnoticed by others via screenshot.
Behind the app is a French company with the same name: BeReal. On its website, BeReal explains the terms of use and the handling of data (privacy policy), but only in English and French.
If your child is interested in the app, you should also take a closer look at BeReal – it’s best to do this together. Talk to your child about potential communication risks associated with using the app. 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 so that only people in the friends list can see the posted pictures. Discuss with your child that they should only add people as friends that they actually know.
Regularly ask about your child’s usage experience and always be responsive to problems.
Protecting personal data in the online world is important. That is why the messenger service Threema was developed. Maybe this is also an alternative for digital communication in your family?
The paid messenger is similar to WhatsApp but attaches particular importance to data minimization. Each user receives a random Threema ID upon registration. This can be passed on to people with whom communication is to take place. Linking to a cell phone number or email address is also possible, but not mandatory. Without a cell phone number or e-mail address, the messenger service can be used anonymously, i.e. without providing any personal data.
Messages and calls are sent end-to-end encrypted, i.e. they can only be decrypted by the recipient. Also, messages are deleted from the server after delivery. Contacts and so-called meta data are only backed up on the user’s own device. In addition to the usual functions, there is the possibility to perform voting. With Threema Web, the messenger can also be used via PC. Additionally, there are Threema applications for schools and businesses.
Threema has far fewer users than WhatsApp, although the app offers similar features and data protection and privacy are better regulated. But it also has to be purchased at some point. Since almost everyone uses WhatsApp, it doesn’t seem necessary for young people to look for alternatives. Alternative and data-secure messengers are most likely to be installed by young people as a second or third app.
Since Threema complies with data protection laws (like the DSGVO), the app is already approved for children and teenagers. The communication risks associated with the use of a messenger, such as cyberbullyingand sexting, cannot be prevented with good data protection, as they usually originate from the users themselves.
Threema is a Swiss company that places particular emphasis on independence. It has its own servers for its service and develops everything itself.
On the website, Threema advertises guaranteed privacy and the best encryption. Threema has also documented how the encryption works there.
In theory, Threema offers a high level of data protection. Users can decide for themselves how strongly they want to implement this – via the privacy settings in the app.
As with other messengers, you as parents should raise awareness about responsible use. Make your child aware of the dangers of messenger services described above. Familiarize yourself and your child with Messenger security settings, such as blocking unknown contacts.
Discuss the advantages of Threema and other data-saving messengers over WhatsApp. A free alternative is Signal.
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.
In some caches are barter items, such as a toy figure, a coin or the like. 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 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.
Do you remember scavenger hunts from your childhood? Today, if you have a smartphone with a suitable app likeActionbound, you can add digital options to the scavenger hunt.
Actionbound can be played with family or friends, for example as a rally for a child’s birthday party or on vacation to explore a new place. Actionbound can be played alone or as a group.
WithActionbound, digital scavenger hunts – known as bounds – can be played using a tablet or smartphone. As you play, clues, puzzles, challenges, and media content appear directly on the screen. The bounds contain varied game elements such as GPS locations, QR codes and mini-games. When using the GPS, the tablet or smartphone shows the players the way by displaying a directional arrow.
Bounds are either created and published by other Actionbound users or you can create a new bound yourself.The app contains numerous bounds on topics such as nature, culture, leisure activities or sights. This turns a city tour into an exciting experience, for example.
Own bounds can be created on the computer via the internet browser in the Bound-Creator. This requires a free registration with Actionbound. Creating a Bound is very simple.Images, videos and audio can be integrated, quiz questions and tasks can be set and QR codes can be created. If you want to share your bound with selected people, you can choose the “secret bounds” function. Creators pay seven euros per compound (as of July 2022).
Click here to go directly to the offer:actionbound.com
Actionbound can also be used with younger children. In this case, however, you should introduce your child to its use, or better yet, accompany your child in the process. When creating a Bound, be sure to use lots of images and little text.
The creation of a bound can take some time. Please also plan to spend time conducting the rally or scavenger hunt. If your child is older, it can be a fun experience to create a Bound together. Note that in the free version all bounds are public. When creating, be sparing with sensitive data such as children’s photos and personal information. If you want to make the bound very personal, the paid option “secret bounds” is worthwhile.
You can also play existing bounds with your child on many different topics. Use the search function in the app to select a suitable scavenger hunt near your location. Keep in mind that here the content is not exactly tailored to one’s needs. Check that the Bound fits your child’s age group.
Actionbound is an app from Germany, therefore your data is subject to European data protection.
You may have heard about the concerns about WhatsApp and other messenger services. Signal wants to be a safe alternative and offers almost the same features.
Signal allows you and your children to chat with one contact or a whole group. You can send pictures, audio files, videos, text messages and emojis, make voice calls or video calls and publish stories.
Signal advertises itself as a secure messenger. Unlike other messenger services, group conversations are also end-to-end encrypted. Individual privacy settingsin the app can be used to turn read notifications and “disappearing messages” on or off, among other things. At regular intervals, users are prompted to enter their PIN to ensure secure use. Signal requests access to the address book so that other users can be added as Signal contacts. However, contacts can also be entered manually without accessing the smartphone’s address book. Since Messenger is open source, anyone can view the encryption procedures. Many experts have already reviewed them.
More and more young people are aware that WhatsApp and the Messenger from Facebook offer little data security and are looking for alternatives. Signal is sometimes used as an additional messenger alongside the more frequently used apps.
Some dangers do not relate to the use of a specific messenger, but are related to communication via messenger in general: Cyberbullying and sexting cannot be ruled out via Signal either. However, Signal offers increased security for private data.
According to the provider, contact data is anonymized by Signal, matched on Signal servers and then deleted again.
According to the provider, the minimum age for use is 13. The USK gives a recommendation from 0 years, but the app stores also state a minimum age of 12 years.
As with other messenger services, the main thing you should do as parents is to raise awareness about responsible use. Draw attention to the potential dangers of communicating via messenger services and address the advantages of Signal and other, secure messengers (e. g. B. also Threema). When you use the app for family sharing, you send an important message. It is helpful to exchange ideas with other parents and decide together whether Signal should be used by the children and young people.
