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.
Genshin Impact has become one of the top-selling online games in Germany since its release in the fall of 2020. In a mysterious anime-style game world, players take on the role of a twin who must search for his missing sibling.
In the action role-playing game, players explore the open fantasy world of Teyvat, collect objects and fight against monsters and other players. In the course of the story, which you follow from the beginning as a single player, you unlock various characters.
Whoever slips into the role of another character has corresponding strengths. With the help of these skills you can master the tasks of the story and advance level by level. As the game progresses, the multiplayer mode is unlocked. In this mode, gamers can compete in battles with up to three friends or strangers or complete daily missions.
Genshin Impact is easily accessible for children and teenagers, since it is a free game. At the beginning, players choose between two main characters, a sister or a brother. The plot, in which the main character searches for the twin sibling kidnapped by a strange deity, appeals to children and teenagers. Besides, the anime-style game world invites you to explore and discover buildings and secrets. New regions and updates are added here all the time. In battle mode or in small mini-games, the required skill is an exciting challenge.
The payment system and the different currencies within the game are designed in a complicated way, which is especially difficult for younger children to understand. One way to get characters and objects is the so-called “praying”. When “praying”, players buy virtual tickets. This gives them randomly selected items or game pieces according to the “gacha mechanics”. This mechanism simulates the operation of “real” Japanese slot machines, the so-called “gachas”. It is true that gamers also receive the necessary currencies in the course of the game, so Genshin Impact is basically playable for free. However, progress in the game becomes increasingly difficult, which may tempt younger or inexperienced children in particular to want to spend real money.
In Genshin Impact you can form a team with other players, fight against them and communicate via chat. Gamers can thus come into contact with strangers who are sometimes not the people they claim to be. There is a risk of cyberbullying and cybergrooming here.
The anime look of the game, while colorful and imaginative, also contains stereotypical and exaggerated gender portrayals – especially of female characters. This can reinforce sexism and expectations of certain gender roles. The game is all about fighting and winning, depictions of violence remain on a rather abstract level due to the cartoon style.
The Chinese provider miHoYo allows the creation of the required game account only from the age of 13. For minors, miHoYo requires the permission of their parents or legal guardians.
The company stores personal data that can be deleted upon request. When starting the game, the location of the server can be selected, for example, also the EU.
The Windows version of Genshin Impact includes software that is supposed to prevent cheating in the game, but provides a point of attack for cyber-attacks. The Genshin Impact development team does not see this potential security vulnerability as a pressing issue.
Genshin Impact is not suitable for younger children. If your child is 12 years old or older, discover the game together at the beginning. Observe how he or she reacts to the depictions of violence and talk to him or her about what he or she has experienced. Discuss whether your child is allowed to make in-app purchases, and if so, how much. If you do not want your child to spend money on the game, you should not set a payment method in the game.
Play provides opportunities to determine who your child has contact with. Friends can be searched for via their respective account ID. Educate your child about communication risks online and show your child how to block unwanted contacts via the blacklist.
Since the game tempts you to keep playing, agree with your child on rules for dealing with games: How long can you play per day or per week?
The anime-style characters convey stereotypical gender images. Talk to your child about gender roles in games and ask how they perceive the different characters.
Computers have revolutionized our world. They open up unimagined possibilities, also for the world of games. As early as 1961, student Steve Russel developed the world’s first computer game: Spacewar! In 1972, the most famous video game ever followed: Pong, by Nolan Bushnell. A lot has happened since then: technology has evolved, the Internet has made gaming in online spaces possible.
What online games do children and young people play today? The gaming platform Steam shows that shooters, MMORPG, survival games, battle royals and sports games were played particularly frequently in 2022. These types of games are also trendy among young people. We present you these five popular genres of online games.
The word shooter comes from English (to shoot = to shoot) and refers to games in which the main objective is to eliminate opposing parties using firearms. In all shooters, the focus is on protecting your own threatened character. Team play, quick reactions and tactics are required. Shooters are often linked with an exciting game story and they come in countless variations. From highly tactical like Counter-Strike or Valorant to fast action like in Call of Duty there is a wide variety of games with different objectives. In first-person shooters, players control their character from a first-person perspective. We described whether first-person shooters promote violent behavior here.
MMORPG stands for “Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game” and combines elements of role-playing games with online worlds. The most famous representatives of the genre are Lost Ark World of Warcraft, Guild Wars 2, Final Fantasy XIV and Black Desert Online. The players slip into the role of a self-created character. You play with others and complete tasks (often called “quests” in these games). The focus of the individual games is very different. While players in World of Warcraft often team up with others to defeat dangerous enemies, in Guild Wars 2 players often fight each other in epic mass battles to capture and expand strongholds.
Besides tasks, MMORPG games offer a variety of other possibilities. Characters can learn a profession and earn gold or other currency with it. From the skilled cook to the blacksmith and the tanner to the jeweler, everything is there. In-character role-playing, in which players meet and interact with each other in character, is also common and offers similar incentives to improvisational theater.
Survival Games (Engl. “survive” = survive), such as for example ARK: Survival Evolved, The Forest, Rust or Minecraft attract with a very exciting gameplay, in which players start with a minimum of equipment and can build new items and even houses by collecting resources like wood, ores and co.
Depending on the game, players can explore technologies, travel an exciting but often dangerous world, and craft items. Most games can be played online together with others. Other game ends become either allies or opponents, with whom you either cooperate or fight for resources.
Battle Royale is the title of the first book written by Japanese author Koushun Takami in 1999. In the book, a school class is abandoned on an island and must survive there. However, only one person may remain. The successful book series The Tribute to Panem also works with a similar concept.
When the game PUBG: Battlegrounds was released in March 2017, it immediately raced to the top of the Steam charts. Soon other developers followed and tried to reinvent the genre. Fortnite , Paladins and Minecraft mods wrote success stories that continue to this day.
The game principle follows the novel templates: 100 players are let loose into a world and fight to be the last one left. You’ll start without equipment and you’ll have to find important resources in the game world to succeed and prevail. The playing field is constantly shrinking, which leads to the fact that game players inevitably have to meet and defeat each other. Things often get heated in the process, as we have already described in this article.
Another genre that has become indispensable are sports games. Fifa has been thrilling gamers of all ages for almost 30 years now.
Racing games like Formula 1, Dirt and Forza also inspire with a fast-paced gaming experience and realistic graphics. As in other sports, the primary attraction here is to compete with others. Traditional sports clubs have meanwhile eSports -teams, which also compete in sports games and tournaments.
The popular game genres are undergoing constant change, A good overview of current genres is provided by the USK’s encyclopedia.
No matter what genre is played, the focus is always on having fun. Your child needs the balance to the stressful school or training day and uses gaming to relax and entertain. Computer games are a great way to do something with friends, even if they live far away.
Stay interested and learn about age ratings and appropriate games for your child. If you feel your child is playing too much, talk openly about it and try to agree on rules together.
Playbrush Kids is a smart sonic toothbrush with interactive games app designed specifically for kids to make brushing teeth a fun experience. The app uses the gamification approach to make brushing teeth a game that kids love to play. We explain what’s behind it.
With this app you can play games, track brushing activities and learn how to brush teeth properly. To do this, the app uses gamification technology, a trend in the technology industry, especially in healthcare. The idea is to use playful elements such as points, rewards or competitions to motivate people to improve their health and well-being. Playbrush Kids aims to promote healthy tooth brushing habits in children, for good oral hygiene and better long-term dental health.
The children’s toothbrush acts as a game controller – either with a special toothbrush attachment (Playbrush Smart), which is placed on a conventional manual toothbrush, or as an electric sonic toothbrush (Playbrush Smart Sonic). These are equipped with sensors that detect the movements of the toothbrush and transmit them wirelessly to the app.
The children then have to complete various tasks while brushing their teeth, such as fighting little monsters or collecting objects. The app tracks the child’s progress and offers rewards for good performance. It also reminds how long and how often children should brush their teeth. Playbrush Kids was developed by dentists.
For children, Playbrush Kids can be very appealing as it allows them to experience brushing their teeth as an interactive and fun game. You can play different games and unlock characters, which makes the experience even more interesting. Children can track their own progress as they clean and feel proud when they achieve their goals. Gamification elements such as points and rewards provide additional motivation for most children.
Playbrush Ltd is the company behind the app. They describe it as an innovative solution to help children improve their dental health by making brushing a fun and entertaining experience. They emphasize that the app is secure and complies with data protection laws.
Playing is fun – and it should be. Support your child in not neglecting or overdoing tooth brushing. A mutually agreed time limit can help. If you have any concerns, please talk to your dentist.
The app’s reward system should be seen more as a support. Also encourage your child to take care of their dental health on their own initiative. So it can develop a lasting healthy habit.
The app collects data, if only to provide you with reports. Familiarize yourself with the privacy policy in order to make an informed decision or to make specific settings. Also keep an eye on the possible in-app purchases. To do this, you can discuss with your child – depending on their age – or restrict the purchase options in the smartphone settings.
Interact with your child – together, mouth music, brushing technique training and oral health quizzes become even more fun.
Especially when children reach puberty, they have less and less desire to do things with the family. Some children prefer to sit in front of their smartphones or computers, playing and communicating virtually with their friends. There are parents who are concerned that their child is not moving enough. Balancing screen time is important – especially if it doesn’t involve exercise. However, the two can also be brought together! Certain console games even work only with movement. And there are games that can be experienced together outside with the family.
If you have a game console like Playstation, Xbox or Nintendo Switch at home, you probably know sports and dance games. The choice is huge. Many of the games are not only fun for children and teenagers, but can also be played during a family game night. You can dance, play mini sports games in a digital board game, and much more. Accessories, such as Nintendo Ring Fit, are designed to enhance the fitness effect with the games. However, these must be purchased additionally. You can find an overview on GamePro‘s site, for example. VR glasses can also be used to combine play and movement. Stop by your local library or youth center. These facilities sometimes offer workshops on the topic or lend out equipment – including game consoles and the appropriate games, by the way.
If you’re worried that your child isn’t moving enough, why not make it a challenge? Some sports games allow you to record your training success. If you create different users and play against each other regularly, you can motivate each other.
Going for a walk on the weekend is boring for many children. But when it turns into a playful adventure, it’s a different story. Formats like geocaching and digital scavenger hunts combine exercise in the fresh air with digital devices. How the treasure hunt in the so-called geocaching works, you can read in our article about it. An alternative is digital scavenger hunts using Actionbound, which they can either create themselves or choose one from existing rallies.
If your whole family loves to play, whether with the board game or digitally, you can also get creative yourself. Which games can also be implemented outside? Why not try the old mobile classic Snake? Many teenagers love Fortnite. Elements from this, such as jumping, dodging and seeking cover, can be transferred to the analog world, e.g. with the construction of an obstacle course. Not only will you encourage your child to exercise, but you’ll also have a shared experience and a reason to talk with your child about his or her enthusiasm for games. There are also many youth projects that bring games and exercise together, for example with a FIFA indoor soccer tournament – maybe that’s something for the next birthday or class party.
Telekom’s cloud gaming offer provides over 100 games of various genres that are played online via an app. You can create up to five profiles and customize usage based on your child’s age.
If you decide to take out a paid subscription with MagentaGaming , you’ll have over 100 games of various genres at your disposal, such as sports, action, adventure, and strategy. A total of five profiles can be created with one subscription. Relevant for parents is the possibility to protect the individual profiles with a PIN and to set an age limit. To do this, simply enter the age in your child’s profile. Your child will then only be provided with games that are approved for that age group.
Through the cloud-based system, the games can be used from different devices via an app. The game scores are stored in the cloud and are thus independent of the respective device. You don’t need a console or a powerful gaming PC, but can play via smartphone, PC or tablet. Only one person at a time can play within the app, simultaneous use is not possible.
In recent years, digital games have become increasingly present in the lives of children and young people. Mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets make it much easier to access them, as you are often not dependent on a console to play online. Digital games offer children and young people countless possibilities: They can race cars against friends, build their own city, or solve puzzles. To a certain extent , there is nothing wrong with that. Your child is growing up with media and digital games are a part of it. They offer room for creativity, promote certain skills and can also contribute to the transmission of values – not least, they are fun.
There are digital games that are not suitable for children. It is therefore advisable to create your child’s own profile and set it accordingly. MagentaGaming bases the age restrictions on the USK age rating according to the legal rules of the German youth protection. You should look into these age groups and decide for yourself if they fit your vision as a parent. You can also find helpful information about this in our article on age restrictions for games.
Challenges are a favorite format of kids and teens – online and offline. If you spend a lot of time at home, you can play so-called media challenges with the whole family.
You can read about what exactly lies behind the Internet phenomenon of challenges in our article on the subject. Challenges don’t necessarily have to take place only online. It’s also fun to play them at home. Especially when the whole family is home a lot due to Corona, challenges can be a nice way to spend time together.
In the Top Photo Challenge all family members take photos with their smartphones and/or cameras throughout the day. In the evening, everyone picks their favorite pictures of the day and they all look at them together. The best images can then be captured in a photo collage, for example. Thus, in addition to beautiful photos, a great memory of the time together remains.
A challenge for all generations is the Re-enactment Challenge . This involves recreating photos that, for example, parents and grandpa still have from their childhood. The children try to imitate the photos with their smartphones. This includes finding matching items and clothing. Conversely, the older ones can recreate photos of the younger ones. Who manages to imitate a photo the best?
At the Game-Challenge is about video or computer games: Each family member chooses a game that has a special meaning for him or her. She or explain to the other family members why the game is so great. Afterwards, everyone can try it out together. This challenge can take place over several days or weeks, when a different game is introduced and played each time. Of course, you can also introduce board and card games.
In the Quiz Challenge the question is “Who will be the new quiz master in the family?” Apps such as Kahoot! or Actionbound make it easy to create your own quiz on your smartphone or tablet. Anyone can develop their own quiz questions. One also additionally set tasks. It’s guaranteed not to get boring!
In the Clip Challenge, a video must be shot under time pressure. Each family member has one hour to create an exciting 30-second clip. The clip can be about a specific topic or message. You can also use it to capture moments at home, such as “On the hunt for clues: Who ate the yogurt?”. As in an online report, the clip should be fast and exciting cut. You can do this with iMovie for Apple devices or Power Director for Android devices, for example.
Of course, not everyone in the family has their own smartphone, tablet or laptop. Challenges are also fun without a lot of technology and can be done with just one device. For example, you can take turns with a smartphone. Or each member of the family may use the device on one day and at the end of the week the results are compiled. Have fun playing!
