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.
Formerly known as Facebook Messenger the app from Meta (previously Facebook ) is now only called Messenger . It is connected to one’s Facebook account and works like other messenger services.
With your own Facebook account, Messenger can only be used after installing the Messenger app (and not via the Facebook app). Sending messages, voice messages, and photos and videos are possible in individual and group chats. As with WhatsApp can be used to send self-deleting messages that are end-to-end encrypted . Group chats and video calls are protected from third-party access. In addition, via the Messenger Playing online games with friends or Story be shared. Thus, Facebook functions are combined with a chat.
As fewer and fewer young people have a Facebook account, they also use Messenger less frequently than WhatsApp . For Facebook users, Messenger is convenient because they can use one account to reach many other people on Facebook reach Not even the cell phone number of the persons is needed for this. Contact with new or not so close acquaintances can then be made via Facebook can be produced easily.
Theoretically, any person with a Facebook profile can be contacted by all other users. Therefore, there is a risk of being written to and possibly harassed by strangers.
The Messenger requires many access rights to one’s own phone, e.g. to contacts, other apps, the microphone or the camera. Meta has been criticized for processing a particularly large amount of user data and passing it on to companies that use it, for example, for Advertising use This also applies to WhatsApp and Instagram which also belong to Meta belong.
There are some presets that are supposed to provide more security. For example, requests from friends end up in the inbox, while messages from strangers are initially filed under “Message requests”. These messages can be accepted or rejected. In addition, the app filters possible Spam messages out. In the privacy settings, you can restrict the visibility of your own profile and the content you share.
Facebook has a extensive help section with special pages for parents , Teenagers and pedagogical specialists have been set up. There you will also find, among other things, further information and support in dealing with unsolicited messages in the Messenger .
For younger children under 13, the Messenger for privacy reasons, even though it is available in the App Store and Google Play Store is characterized for a younger age. If your child is between 13 and 16 years old, he or she can use the Messenger if you have consented as a parent.
Remember that social contacts become more and more important for your child with puberty and that digital communication The same applies to conversations in the playground or on the way to school. You should decide together from when it can use the app. Talk about risks such as Cybergrooming and cyberbullying and support your child in Dealing with social networks . Educate your child on what they can do if they feel uncomfortable or harassed in chat and always be approachable. Never should your child send pictures or share personal information with a stranger. If your child has an unpleasant experience, show understanding. Think together about what you can do about it. Also use the Privacy settings From Facebook .
Basically, you should make your child aware: On the servers of Facebook and Meta everything it sends is stored. People who work at Facebook work, have access to the messages, for example to check reported messages. As a result, the messages are never completely private. You can also send encrypted messages to Facebook exchange information: Here you can learn how to start a secret conversation.
Also, consider using alternative messengers, such as the following. collect less data – for example, we provide you with Signal or Threema before.
The child in front of the screen, the game console in hand and on the head the headset … – this sight is familiar to you? Then your child is a gamer in digital gaming worlds.
Popular with many children and young people are games that allow them to chat with others online, such as in Fortnite (from age 12) or FIFA . You can create digital communities and teams with friends or with other gamers. You can communicate live via text messages or a headset, directly through the game or with the help of additional programs such as. Teamspeak, Mumble and Discord . Players talking during the game. For example, they discuss game strategies, give each other tips, and pick up praise for skillful actions. Digital friendships” can develop in the process.
Communication during the game trains social skills. Similar to the schoolyard, everyone takes on a certain role: one person determines the conversation, another ensures that there is no argument, yet another person makes jokes. Whether digital or analog, rules must be observed. When children and young people can only talk to each other without seeing each other, they are particularly challenged: Game situations have to be explained in an understandable way, quick instructions have to be given, and agreements on further tactics have to be made.
When people are just chatting in online games, it’s hard to tell who is communicating with you. Therefore, there is a risk of cyberbullying and cybergrooming. Hate and insults among gamers are not a rare phenomenon either. Since the chats in games are not always moderated, i.e. there is no third person to ensure that communication rules are observed, the danger is increased. Players feel safe because they can hide behind an avatar (the name of the characters in an online game). Because for the registration often a name and the e-mail address is enough. A secure age query is not possible.
In the “play frenzy” there is also the danger that your child will disclose private information to the outside world unnoticed. In addition, the incentive is high to want to play on and on in order to stay in contact with his team and to get recognition there.
Pay attention to age recommendations and risk assessments of games. In addition to the age ratings of the USK, use pedagogical ratings, e.g. from Spielatgeber NRW or Spielbar.
As a parent, you are in the best position to assess whether your child is ready to chat responsibly in the game or whether he or she can assess the risks. Observe how your child behaves during conversations outside of the Internet. Also play together sometimes, so you can understand the enthusiasm for a game. The shared experience additionally builds trust between you and your child. Then it knows it can turn to you if it finds something scary or uncomfortable. Also, make yourself aware of the settings options of the game in question. If possible, specify the age of the person playing so that parental control settings can take effect automatically (if they exist). It may be possible to disable the chat function separately. For example Fortnite the voice chat can be deactivated or individual players from the team can be muted.
For younger gamers under 14, consider games that do not rely on online communication. Feel your way in slowly with your child and explain possible communication risks and how to deal with them.
Messenger apps like WhatsApp are among the “must haves” of most smartphone users – including children and young people. In school, class chats can be very handy. You can talk to each other about learning material, homework and organizational things. However, such chat groups can also become a burden.
Messenger apps are used to communicate either personally with individuals or in group chats with several people. There are family groups, chats among friends or the sports team, class chats and many more.
Anyone can create a chat group and, as an administrator, add members who use the same messenger and are saved in Contacts. Each person who is part of the group can send messages, photos or videos that will be seen by all members. Administration and write permissions can be assigned to members depending on the messenger service.
Many children from the age of about 10 have their own smartphone and use a messenger. That’s why many school classes have group chats, through which children share important and unimportant things with each other. Moreover, they can talk about it without adults at all.
Such a chat can strengthen the sense of community in a class. The only problem is when not everyone has a smartphone and the corresponding app. Individual students may feel left out and not get certain things. Peer pressure can also play a role here.
Lots of kids in a chat group often means lots of messages. There are different opinions about what is interesting or funny. Some want to share this with others, others are annoyed by the flood of news. Chain letters are also often spread via class chats and not everyone can handle them safely. Important news can quickly get lost in the shuffle. It can also lead to stress when your cell phone beeps constantly and you feel like you always have to respond.
Not only in personal communication, but also via chat, conflicts can arise among each other. In the worst case, individuals are bullied. In group chats, this can get out of hand, and those who insult others via their smartphone don’t notice how the person on the other side reacts and may continue to do so.
Another problem is data protection. Quickly, a photo or a cell phone number is shared with everyone via the group chat without thinking about who the message will reach. Such messages can be redistributed and saved by everyone. The messenger services themselves also treat their users’ data with varying degrees of sensitivity. From WhatsApp for example, a lot of data is stored and passed on unnoticed.
Some young people also use chat groups to send problematic content, such as depictions of the sexual abuse of children and young people, or to influence the opinions of members. It happens that you regularly receive unwanted group invitations.
With all of these risks, first consider your child’s right and desire to be part of the class community. This does not have to mean disregarding hazards. Your child should also know these. Therefore, talk to him about it. The choice of messenger service, security settings and chat rules can limit the risks.
Talk to the parents of other children and consider working together to use a data-saving messenger service like Signal or Threema can be agreed upon. Show your child what privacy settings and security features the smartphone and messenger app itself offers – such as blocking or reporting contacts. In addition, the question of how to inform those who do not have a smartphone or the respective messenger app should be clarified so that no social coercion is created.
It is at least as important to agree on rules about how you want to treat each other – this applies not only offline, but also online. This could include, for example, that only certain things may be written about, that there are times when writing is allowed, or that insults and sending personal pictures are prohibited. More tips on this can be found at Handysektor. When it comes to boundary violations, insults and cyberbullying, it is important not to look away, but to react actively. It should be determined in class who to turn to if you or someone else is treated unfairly in the chat. Selected confidants can be trusted adults or classmates who have been trained in advance.
In addition, you should act as a good role model by, for example, putting your cell phone away when talking to others, using a safe messenger, and not sharing pictures of your child in the family group without asking. Then your child will also be able to use chat groups safely and with fun.
It’s not uncommon for families to not always be in the same place: Dad lives in another city, the grandparents even in another country and the favorite aunt is traveling a lot. Thanks to digital media and the Internet, you can still exchange ideas and “see” each other regularly.
For video telephony, you need an Internet-enabled device with a fast Internet connection. In order not to use up its data volume quickly, it is best to use WLAN. Otherwise, this can also degrade the image quality. Also, your respective device should have a microphone and a camera integrated. And then you’re ready to go!
You either “talk on the phone” via the same app that you use to write messages to each other, i.e. a messenger. Also online applications like Skype are also suitable for video telephony. Everyone uses the same tool when talking. You can use WhatsApp not call grandma and grandpa on FaceTime.
With some providers, several people can take part in the conversation. Group video chats are available on WhatsApp (up to four people) and Facebook Messenger (up to 50 people). The screen is then split into three halves, for example, when you are on the phone together with your child, grandparents far away and uncle on the road. With tablet, laptop and smartphone in hand, the uncle can even show where he is.
Talking on the phone while seeing each other via the camera allows for a closer exchange between family members than “just” talking on the phone. Grandparents who live far away and are rarely seen still get to see their grandchildren grow up and have regular contact. If your child is growing up with separated parents, he or she may feel more closely connected to the other parent during a Mommy Week. The video function means you’re much closer to each other’s everyday lives. Other things can be done on the side, so the conversation has a casual setting. Video telephony is very similar to a “real” conversation. Through facial expressions and gestures, you can better understand each other and your child even without words. This is also helpful when a family member has language handicaps.
Find out from what age the respective app may be used if your child “talks on the phone” with grandma or the godfather without your presence. WhatsApp is actually only allowed from the age of 16, but with the consent of parents even earlier. Viber and the Skype app are suitable for ages 12 and up, according to the USK.
Look together which features of the app are free. Be aware that by using the app you grant some permissions to the provider. Research which ones you may be able to hire or ban yourself. To protect privacy, there is an option for your child to contact only saved people. Look for a provider with secure end-to-end encryption to keep you and your family’s data safe.
Talk to your child about the potential dangers of video calling. With (unknown) acquaintances made via Instagram or Snapchat, young people like to “Skype” to get to know each other better. This promotes the risk of cybergrooming, since you don’t know exactly who is behind it.
Thus, video telephony is a practical help for everyday life, making contact with friends and family possible when you are not in the same place.
