The smell of cookies, shopping stress, shining children’s eyes: the holidays are approaching and digital devices and games are on the wish lists of many children and young people. What should parents consider before and after giving a gift? Between the years and during the vacations, there is also time for shared family media experiences. How can this be designed in a safe, age-appropriate and even creative way? In this article, we give you an overview of offers from the Elternguide.online partner network.
The Christmas vacations can be long, especially when the weather outside doesn’t really invite you to play. You probably have devices such as smartphones, tablets, cameras or a laptop lying around at home. How about you and your child simply getting started, taking photos or filming yourselves, trying out new creative apps and organizing media time creatively? It’s great fun and your child will also learn something about media skills along the way.
On the website kinder.jff.de there are suggestions for simple media projects that children aged 6 and over can do on their own or from the age of 3 with support from you as parents at home. This is helped by child-friendly video instructions in which the implementation of the media projects is shown step by step. How about a photo memory with Christmas tree decorations or an audio story about New Year’s Eve traditions?
You are probably familiar with challenges from social media, e.g. dance challenges on TikTok. Children and young people love to take on challenges. Challenges don’t necessarily only have to take place on the Internet, you can also play them at home with your family! Why not try the Top Photo Challenge, the Clip Challenge or the Recreation Challenge? We have made a few suggestions in our parents’ guide article. You can find more Advent challenges on the website of the JFF project webhelm.de.
Your child will probably also enjoy watching videos. If you are still looking for suitable films, series or YouTube clips, take a look at FLIMMO.
In addition to age information and educational recommendations for all formats from TV, streaming and YouTube, you will find winter movie tips from the Grüffelokind to the Grinch and the Polar Express under the special “Advent tips“. A TV evening together can be a really nice family experience, especially when it’s as cold and dark outside as it is during the winter vacations.
Children have many questions and learn early on that their questions will be answered on the Internet. How is Christmas celebrated in other countries? What craft tips and baking recipes are there for Christmas? The children’s search engine fragFINN offers children access to 3500 verified websites, including more than 400 children’s sites. Primary school children can gain their first Internet experience here in a protected surfing room and learn how to use search engines and search results. In the fragFINN Advent calendar, children can open a little door every day, behind which there are links to other children’s sites with Christmas information.
You can find more playful learning pages in this parents’ guide article.
Parents must decide individually when their child is ready for their first smartphone, depending on their level of development and experience. After all, a smartphone theoretically opens up the whole world of the Internet to your child, with all its opportunities and risks. klicksafe offers extensive information for parents. Use the smartphone readiness checklist to see whether a smartphone is ready for the Christmas tree. Has the decision been positive? Then find out about technical setting options for Android and iOS and watch the instructions in the form of explanatory videos. All klicksafe information material can be found here.
Would you like to prepare your child for the first smartphone under the Christmas tree? Child-friendly information on the first smartphone is available in the children’s magazine Genial Digital from Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk. The fragFINN app gives your child a protected surfing space on their first smartphone and gives them access to quality, positive content.
Are you considering buying a smartwatch as an alternative? Then take a look at this topic from klicksafe. Please note: technical protective measures are no substitute for family discussions and media rules. Stay in contact with your child and accompany them as they take their first steps with a smartwatch or smartphone.
In addition to discussions and media rules, technical youth media protection is an important component of media education. Use the screen time and digital wellbeing settings on smartphones to set time limits for the entire device or for different apps and to filter content. The parental control program JusProg offers a precise filtering option for websites and safe default settings for mobile devices and laptops. Google Family Links and YouTube Kids offer the opportunity to make media experiences safer for your child in the world of the internet giant Google. Social media apps such as Instagram and TikTok also offer safety features and parental guidance options. Streaming with the family can be a fun activity during the vacations. Almost all streaming services have certified offers for the protection of minors. Use your own child profiles and the parental control function with the PIN. Detailed instructions for all devices are available on the website medien-kindersicher.de.
Which games should I give my child for Christmas? Are games okay for preschoolers? In the family section of the USK website, you will find all the information you need on the USK’s age ratings, the new additional information and how to deal with the topic of games in the family.
The USK mark indicates the age at which a game does not cause any developmental impairments. The additional information such as “fantasy violence” or “pressure to act” gives parents a good indication of whether a game is suitable for their own child. Educational assessments of games can be found at the NRW games guide. Descriptions of popular games such as Fortnite, Minecraft or Roblox are available on Elternguide.online.
Would you like to make your child happy with a game for Christmas? Find out about the distribution channels for games and technical precautionary measures. Various settings for the protection of minors can be made on consoles as well as in game stores and the games themselves. Play together with your child and ask them interesting questions about their favorite games.
The team at Elternguide.online wishes you and your family a wonderful Christmas season and lots of fun using media safely and creatively!
The streaming portal RTL+ offers the opportunity to watch Mediengruppe RTL shows free of charge for seven days after they air – and some for longer than that. Premium members also have access to specially produced content and other functions. The free content is financed by advertising. Parents have the option to create a profile for their child so they can stream age-appropriate series, movies and shows ad-free.
RTL+ is the video-on-demand service of Mediengruppe RTL. Once an account has been created, the RTL+ Free package can be used to stream certain channels live or watch them seven days later. Premium members also have permanent access to broadcasts and other formats in the archive. Since 2019, the platform has offered films and series produced in-house, the RTL+ Originals. Paid premium membership opens up access to the mobile app, in-house productions and the ability to watch content before it airs on TV. The Premium Duo package additionally offers advertising freedom, parallel streams and some content in original English.
All registered users can create up to three profiles. These can be divided into adult and child profiles. Children only have access to the Family and Kids section via their own profile. This way, you can make sure that your child only has access to age-appropriate content. The formats in the Family and Kids sectionscan also be streamed commercial-free.
The RTL+offering combinesthe TV programming of several channels and thus offers something for younger children and teenagers alike. Among the younger audience, the children’s channels Super RTL and Toggo are particularly popular. In addition to new productions, classics such asJanosch’sDream Hour, Fünf Freunde and Benjamin Blümchen are also broadcast there. Missed programs can be easily re-watched by the children through RTL+. You have also worked with RTL+ Kids their own area, where the formats are sorted into different categories and genres. This makes it easy for children to find their way around and make their own choices.
If you register free of charge with RTL+ , you have the option of creating your own profile for your child, through which he or she can only watch age-appropriate formats. Premium members can also set up a parental control PIN that is valid for all profiles. You can define the age limit from which the PIN is to take effect.
Registered persons without membership cannot create a PIN, but have the option to install the independent and free youth protection program JusProg. You can find out whether programs and films are suitable for your child’s age and how he or she processes the content shown by using the Flimmo program guide.
In addition to the content you watch, keep an eye on how much time your child spends in front of the screen and with media overall. Therefore, arrange fixed times or specific shows that your child is allowed to watch. If you’re not sure how much time is appropriate, you can find more information and suggestions in our post on media time .
It is not uncommon for the use of cell phones, tablets and the like to lead to arguments in the family. Surely you are familiar with the discussions about how long the child is allowed to play on the tablet. Many parents worry that it’s unhealthy for their child to spend too much time with digital media. But at what point is way too much and constant media use already addiction?
Apart from the fun factor, there are some psychological aspects that make it hard for us to put the tablet or game console aside again. For example, many computer games, whether played on a smartphone or a console, do not have a set ending. The things we do in everyday life usually have a beginning and an end and we turn to something else after that. That’s not usually the case with games. Your child could theoretically play endlessly from level to level. Each level becomes more challenging and your child gets the ambition to pass the next level as well.
It’s a similar story with messenger services and social networks. About WhatsApp, Instagram, etc., we are always reachable and can communicate with others quickly and easily at any time. Social networks are specially designed to keep us on the platform for a long time by always displaying (new) information through scrolling. This can also influence the mood of the users. And when your son or daughter posts a picture on Instagram and gets likes and positive comments on it, it acts like a social reward. It activates the same areas in the brain as eating candy or taking drugs.
Let me say right away: There is no such thing as an “Internet addiction”! But certain things and activities on the Internet can be addictive. However, to speak of addiction is often not correct at all, because there is more to it than spending a lot of time with one thing. If you want to know more about it, read this post by Quarks.
As a parent, you should be aware that excessive use of certain media is not uncommon among children and young people at times – for example, in times of a pandemic or during puberty. However, if your child’s behavior with certain media seems conspicuous over a longer period of time and causes you concern, you should observe your child closely and take action if necessary.
The most important tip for dealing with media is: Talk to your child about what media he or she uses and why. Show interest and stay in the conversation about what your child’s current favorite game is, what videos they like to watch, what platforms they’re on, and what’s so great about them. Sharing can prevent problematic behavior. Explain to your child what platforms like Instagram work to keep users with them as long as possible.
If your child’s media use seems uncontrolled and too much, and your son prefers to sit in front of the screen instead of meeting friends, you should agree on fixed media times together. Extreme mood swings before, during and after using certain media or neglecting school and friends are also indicative of problematic use. It may also mean that your child is not yet ready to use media completely independently. Which is not to say that media should be off-limits. Guide your child in their use and agree on rules about when they can use what media.
If you are at a loss and your child’s problematic behavior continues, you and your child also have the option of visiting addiction counseling centers at any time.
You should also monitor and investigate whether there may be other reasons behind constant media use. For example, your child may want to distract himself from other problems by playing computer games. Seek discussion with your child and get outside help if necessary!
The German Children’s Fund’s Children’s Report 2021 also deals with media addiction and how children, young people and adults perceive excessive media use.
Digital lessons in the morning, a video call with your girlfriend in between, and computer games as evening entertainment – this is probably what everyday life looks like in many families. When school and sports clubs are closed and contacts have to be limited, children and young people spend more time with media. In this article, we explain how you can sensibly accompany your child in media use, even in lockdown.
In lockdown, many media-free activities are cancelled or moved to the Internet: Classes are not held in the classroom but via video conferencing. Instead of tutoring, explanation videos help with schoolwork. Soccer practice is cancelled and replaced by a sports video on YouTubereplaced. Instead of meeting friends, children and teenagers play computer games or spend their time with TikTok, Instagram, and other apps.This quickly adds up to many hours a day that your child spends in front of screens. Established rules on media time are no longer observed. As a parent, you may be concerned that your child is on their cell phone too much and their media use is becoming excessive and problematic.
Using media more during lockdown is normal and probably applies to you as much as it does to your child. In addition, if you feel that your child is too attached to the smartphone or game console, you should openly address him or her about it. You may well be surprised at how competently and consciously your child uses media to cope with the current situation. For example, if it spends a lot of time on social media, it’s probably its way of still keeping in touch with friends. TikTok videos from influencers in other countries can also help you feel in touch with the world “out there.”
Perhaps you have agreed on fixed media times in the family and recorded these, for example, in a media usage contract . In the current situation, it is important to adjust the agreements or to record any at all. Distinguish between learning and leisure time. After all, the time your child spends watching explainer videos for school should not be subtracted from the time they are allowed to watch videos for entertainment. This is all the more important because many platforms that children and young people use in their free time now include learning content, for example on TikTok or YouTube . Binding agreements can help your child not to be distracted by fun content while learning, but to enjoy it in a relaxed way after schoolwork. Be aware of your role model function : explain to your child when you use your smartphone and computer for work and when you use them for entertainment. Binding rules that you establish together and to which all family members adhere create clarity and trust.
At the same time, it is important to schedule screen-free times to avoid digital stress. A family game night or cooking together are a nice balance to the evening computer games or Netflix watching. Exercise in the fresh air on a weekend outing is good for everyone in the family and creates great memories. But media can also be used to diversify the time: If your child likes to craft, you can watch YouTube to find creative DIY projects, or do puzzles together while listening toradio plays or podcasts . We have put together a collection of creative media projects for you here.
Do you know it? You wanted to watch only one episode of your favorite series and then it became three, because it was just so exciting. Your child sometimes feels the same way: he or she is having so much fun watching TV and playing computer games that he or she forgets about the time. Bingewatching” refers to watching several episodes of a series at a time, and this also occurs among children. Binge means “excess” in German and viewing means “to look at”.
For some adults, bingewatching is even a hobby. Streaming services such as Prime Video, Netflix and YouTube have adjusted their offerings accordingly. Series often come as a whole season, so users can easily watch one video after another. From a company’s point of view, this is quite logical: They have an interest in keeping users on their platform for as long as possible.
There are more and more media library apps specifically for children or streaming apps with children’s profiles. YouTube Kids, Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+ are particularly popular. Therefore, it’s no wonder that bingewatching also occurs among children and teenagers, because they find it even harder to turn off the TV or tablet.
Children and young people quickly get carried away by their favorite characters and stories, so that they can hardly tear themselves away from them. Some simply forget to switch off and therefore watch more than agreed. Younger children in particular are not yet very good at regulating their own needs and media use. They are therefore more easily seduced to look further and further.
Sometimes there is simply a lack of alternative occupations. Kids don’t know what to do besides watch TV. Besides, it’s easy to just be sprinkled instead of being active yourself, making up your own stories, drawing something, or anything else.
Some things you can set on your child’s profile on the streaming site itself. For example, you can disable the automatic start of the next episode or set a time limit for some services. If you download certain episodes, your child won’t be drawn to other series and will find it easier to switch off when the agreed viewing time is up. You should become active as soon as your child reacts stressed or annoyed when he or she cannot watch any longer.
Design media usage rules together, especially fixed time slots, and make sure they are followed. As long as your child is not yet able to handle media on his or her own responsibility, support and accompany him or her in this process. Don’t use the favorite show as a punishment or reward, and establish alternative outlets for media use.
If your child is very emotionally attached to the series, you can engage with it together in other ways. Your child can bring the series world to him with toys, by painting or playing with friends and continue telling the stories. This way, your child experiences his or her favorite series even more and can help shape it.
Older children and teenagers should also occasionally allow you to distract them with television during stressful periods. Just make sure that bingewatching is not constantly used to combat stress.
Watching videos with your smartphone or tablet has many advantages. Above all, you don’t have to follow program times on TV. With the KiKA player app, you choose yourself which show you want to watch.
With the KiKA Player app, you can watch a selected program from the Kinderkanal’s lineup on your smartphone. It is aimed at children from preschool age to about 13 years. With the ability to create different profiles for multiple children, the app can suggest appropriate age-appropriate content. The respective favorite videos can also be saved in the profiles. Parents can use the “AppWecker” to set the usage time by password, e.g. to one hour a day. There is also the option to limit the app only to videos that are suitable for preschoolers.
The operation and design are particularly child-friendly. Each child can choose their own avatar and favorite color. Children from preschool age to school age will find the popular and age-appropriate programs they know from KiKA here – from Shaun the Sheep to logo! to Einstein Castle. The KiKA Player is the extension of the KiKANiNCHEN app, which is intended for “media beginners” between the ages of about 3 to 5.
So far, the KiKA player app only works online. The option of downloading individual videos or saving them for (later) offline use, as is the case with other media libraries on the web, does not currently exist. Being constantly connected to the Internet can easily lead to distraction. Even adults sometimes find it difficult not to lose themselves in the Internet and forget the time. For children, it is usually even more difficult to keep track of time. Always new suggestions of what to look at next can overwhelm and cause stress.
KiKA is a television program especially for children from ARD and ZDF. This means that the station is part of the public broadcasting system and can finance itself without advertising.
The Children’s Channel seeks to make both entertainment, information and children’s rights accessible to children.
All usage data is anonymized, collected and evaluated. Personal data will not be passed on to KiKA or third parties with this default setting unless you change it. You can also completely disable data analysis in the adult section of the app under the Privacy item.
Make sure you are connected to the WLAN when you use the app, because it only works online.
Explore the range together with your child and find out which shows he or she likes best. Set fixed times of day when the videos may be watched so that your child can also spend enough media-free time with you or with peers.
The TimeLimit app allows you to restrict access to certain apps on your smartphone. The special feature: You can create different usage settings for different apps. In addition, TimeLimit does not store any data in the basic version.
You may know the app under the name JoLo Parental Control. In the advanced version it is called TimeLimit. The app can be installed on smartphones and tablets with Android. You install it either on the child’s device or your own, if the child does not yet use his or her own smartphone. It is also possible to control settings on the child’s device from their own smartphone.
Different user profiles can be created in the app, which can be accessed with a password. With TimeLimit, you can select apps that are generally available for use or only available on certain days of the week and at a certain time. So if the set time for the particular app or device has expired, it can no longer be used. So you can decide exactly when and how much something can be used, or who can use an app if multiple people are accessing a device.
The paid version allows settings to be made across device boundaries. You can decide whether to use local or networked mode, i.e. whether to connect your phone to your child’s. In local mode, all data remains on the device where the app is installed. In networked mode, data is transferred via a server of your choice. You can use TimeLimit ‘s default server or – for more control over your data – install the server component on your own server. With a paid add-on feature, the usage time for an app can be counted across multiple devices.
One shortcoming of the app is that it unfortunately does not run at all or not very well on some operating systems and devices. Installation on Apple devices is not possible. The app does not work well on Huawei and Wiko smartphones.
It should be noted that the energy-saving function of some smartphones terminates apps that are running in the background, such as TimeLimit, or prevents them from autostarting. Pre-installed task managers, system boosters and the like should also not be activated, as these sometimes allow TimeLimit to be terminated automatically. Apps installed after the fact have fewer permissions than preinstalled apps and are therefore unproblematic.
According to the German provider, TimeLimit does not create a log about the use of each app, so the privacy of all users is protected. According to the manufacturer, TimeLimit also works with end-to-end encryption, so that the provider cannot read the data.
Controlling your child’s smartphone use should be carefully considered and dependent on how old your child is. With an app like TimeLimit, monitoring is not possible, only the restriction of usage times. You should arrange these together with your child in advance. They can also be part of a media use agreement with the family. Screen time and other regulations should be regularly reviewed and adjusted according to age.
To protect your children from dangerous content or cost traps, there are already some parental control apps. One of these apps is called Kids Zone. Here you set up a profile for your kids on the smartphone, with child-safe apps and limited screen time.
Kids Zone can be installed on your child’s device and is designed to enable safe cell phone use. Since you can create multiple profiles, you can set up the app on your smartphone even if your child doesn’t use their own device.
After creating the profile, select the apps you want to share with your child, such as music apps or children’s games. Some apps or certain settings can be locked. In the free basic version, you can block up to six apps. You then create a PIN for the profile so that you can activate (Lock Device) or deactivate (Unlock Device) it.
It is also possible to set a maximum usage time for the smartphone. After its expiration, the device locks automatically and can no longer be used.
Unlike other parental control apps, no data about the usage time and apps used is stored and cannot be viewed afterwards. In addition, no data is forwarded to the app’s manufacturer.
The usability of the device is very limited by the app and the time limits always have to be restarted. In addition, the app runs a bit jerky and locking the device happens with a time delay.
The app is not suitable for children who want to get to know the smartphone’s functions better, since it is not possible to access the settings.
The app’s Canadian developer, Ryan Park, wants Kids Zone to enable easy, safe and controlled smartphone use. There is no specified age for use, the age rating in the App Store is three years.
The fact that Kids Zone does not offer a monitoring option means that no data is passed on to the manufacturer. The app requests access to usage data, like any app of this type, to see what other apps are being used. The privacy policy is complete and easy to understand – but in English.
Kids Zone is especially suitable if you occasionally give your younger child their own cell phone to play with, or if your child gets their own smartphone at an early age.
Parental control apps are designed to protect the child, but you should still check which apps (games, music, etc.) are installed on the smartphone. Pay attention to the age information as well. Test the apps you want to unlock for your child and decide together which apps your child can use. Also, involve your child when it comes to the length of time they use their cell phone. If you set rules for smartphone use together and your child can understand them, he or she will be better able to stick to them. The older your child gets, the more he wants to try things out on his own. Adjust settings accordingly over time and give your child the space they need.
Children and young people love to play games – including computer and online games. Media educator Fabian Wörz explains what needs to be considered.
Children love to play. But especially when it comes to computer games, many parents are unsure how much playtime is appropriate for their child and when there is a risk of addiction.
Diving into other worlds, slipping into different roles, mastering difficult tasks, experiencing exciting stories and escaping reality for a short time – all this makes gaming tempting for children, whether on the computer or outside with friends. Games in particular offer countless opportunities to experience adventures and compete with others. What’s difficult about gaming is sometimes stopping again, because many games don’t have a clear end.
There are very few people who are actually “addicted” to computer games in the medical sense. The word comes up quickly in everyday life, even if it’s not actually appropriate. Just because your child spends a lot of time playing computer games doesn’t usually mean he or she is addicted. Nevertheless, in addition to talking to your child, firm rules will help if you feel he or she is playing too much and neglecting friends or school. Because “eccentric consumption” can also be problematic. More hints can be found here.
An addiction or dependency is a disease. It’s not a matter of “how long” or “how often,” but “why.” Observe your child to find out why they are so captivated by a game. If you’re worried your child might be addicted, you can look at some risk factors that could indicate your child might be addicted to gambling. If you observe the following in your child over an extended period of time, you should seek help:
These are just a few of the many characteristics that can be typical of a computer game addiction. However, be aware: Only experts can make a medical diagnosis!
If you suspect a computer game addiction in your child, the first thing you should do is address it openly. Show understanding and think together about what rules can make it play less. If you can no longer find access to your child, addiction counseling centers offer support and can provide concrete contacts. There are these in larger cities and also online. Research jobs in your area online or contact, for example: http://www.fv-medienabhaengigkeit.de/hilfe-finden.html or https://www.nummergegenkummer.de/. An addiction usually has other causes than computer gaming itself. You should find these out by talking to your child and with the help of professionals.
For you and your three-year-old daughter, reading her a story every day before she goes to sleep is part of the routine? Your children have been looking forward to the “Sendung mit der Maus” on Sunday mornings all week? Such rituals are often unspoken, fixed appointments that become naturalized over time. There are typical media rituals, but they can also look different in each family.
Using media together with family is a nice way to spend time together. The whole family looks forward to the weekend movie night together. Children really fever for it, also because the event is often associated with exceptions, such as delicious food on the sofa. You snuggle up and talk about the movie afterwards.
Regular skyping with the grandparents is also a highlight for everyone. Despite the often long distance, people feel close to each other.
Rituals don’t always have to be associated with a fixed date: Listening to music together as father and daughter can also be a regular media event that connects in a special way.
Media rituals can structure a family’s daily routine: When the Sandman plays on the tablet every evening or a book is read aloud, your child knows that it’s almost time for bed. Children and even still adolescents are thus offered a framework of the daily routine that gives them security. Media rituals can also serve as an incentive: If the teeth are brushed in the evening before the favorite series or the favorite audio book and the pajamas are put on, there is still time for two episodes!
Family time together is always valuable. There’s nothing wrong with creating shared moments with media like a TV, tablet or game console. Often the medium then plays only a supporting role anyway. It is important to take time for each other and experience things together. Media rituals also create free space for you as parents: You work off the news or relax after a hard day at work while your child watches Sandman or listens to Benjamin Blümchen.
However, make sure that tablets and such do not replace a babysitter or you as a parent. Joint family times in which media do not play a role are at least as important as times with media. Shared experiences like a trip to the pool or zoo are sure to do you as much good as your child!
Actually, Leon should have been asleep a long time ago so that he would be fit for the class test tomorrow. Instead, he’s probably chatting with his buddies all night again or the incoming messages in the class group are keeping him awake. But you don’t want to switch off the WLAN connection, because you still have to write an important e-mail. Conveniently, there are routers where you can assign user profiles so that Leon can no longer access the WLAN after a certain time and sleep peacefully.
There is an Internet connection in almost every family. Most often provides a WLAN router in the hallway for stable Internet. You can usually borrow one from your Internet provider. Or you can buy a FRITZ!Box. With the settings options of this router, the Internet use of individual devices can be restricted and adjusted. These parental control settings are one way to make surfing safer for your child.
With FRITZ!Box, you can access all devices logged on to the network in the browser at http://fritz.box and make settings. In addition to account, telephony and software settings, you can also limit and adjust the Internet usage of individual devices here.
To make parental control settings, go to “Filters” in the left column via “Internet”. There you can control Internet access for all devices registered in your home network. Under “Parental Control” you assign access profiles to individual devices. You can define and customize these yourself under “Access profiles”. You use it to define how network devices, whether smartphones or computers, are allowed to use the Internet. For each profile, you can limit online time, share or restrict network applications, and block certain Internet sites. There is also the possibility to block websites that are harmful to minors, as well as to store a blacklist and whitelist, i.e. permitted and prohibited websites. These can be edited under “Lists”.
Unfortunately, adolescents in puberty do not always think about the consequences of their actions. So Leon probably doesn’t worry about the fact that he might have to write an overtired class assignment tomorrow. That’s why technical solutions such as settings on the WLAN router can support media education at home. You can partially protect your child from content harmful to minors and limit online time if they don’t think of it themselves and you can’t check it. Discuss such settings with your child beforehand and still give him or her the necessary freedom to decide on his or her own media use. Technical settings are no substitute for the joint negotiation and establishment of clearly understandable media rules for everyone.
