Chatting with friends, being active on social media, expressing themselves creatively – the smartphone opens up a new world for children. Many parents ask themselves: “When is my child old enough to have their own smartphone?”. This question is not easy to answer. This is because the child’s stage of development plays a key role in the decision.
The change from elementary school to secondary school is a suitable time for many parents to purchase a smartphone. Many children have a long journey to school, which they often have to make alone. They can make contact quickly via a cell phone or smartphone. Constant availability should not be the main reason. For older children and teenagers in particular, the most important reason for having their own smartphone is to keep in touch with their friends. They want to be part of it and have a say when it comes to the latest apps and social media trends.
Are you wondering whether your child is ready for their own smartphone? Then you should think about these things:
klicksafe has compiled these and other questions in a checklist for parents to tick off. Go through the checklist alone or together with your child. The more points you tick, the more ready your child is for their own smartphone. However, you know them best and can assess their media experience and sense of responsibility. For younger children, a cell phone without Internet access may be suitable at first. Sooner or later, however, you should allow your child to have their own smartphone.
Access to the Internet holds a lot of potential for your child, but also risks:
You can find out how you can protect your child from sexual violence on the Internet in this klicksafe brochure.
Choose your first smartphone carefully and take costs and features into account. A used cell phone can be a good choice. Take your time to set up your smartphone. Pay attention to age ratings of apps and enable security settings on the device. Discuss together which apps your child can and cannot use for the time being. A prepaid contract and not a flat rate may be sufficient at the beginning. This will teach your child how much they actually use their cell phone and how to use mobile data and WLAN appropriately. Settings in the smartphone can also create awareness of screen time. You can find more tips on how to make your child’s cell phone use safer in our article on this topic.
Accompany your child as they take their first steps with their smartphone. Always inform your child about possible risks. Even before deciding to get your own smartphone, talk to your child about it. It can also be helpful to consult with other parents. Because most of the time, they face the same questions.
Establish common rules for media use that all family members adhere to. Keep an eye on your child’s usage times and signs of digital stress.
Find out about child-friendly offers and apps, such as the fragFINN app. You can find pedagogical assessments for mobile games at Spieleratgeber NRW.
Try to lead by example. Don’t abuse your child’s trust by secretly checking the cell phone – a frank conversation is the better way. If you are unsure or serious problems arise, contact educational professionals such as school social workers or contact (online)counseling centers.
Child-friendly information can help children get to grips with the topic. The “Genial digital” magazine from the Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk (DKHW) provides children aged 8 to 11 with information about the internet and their first smartphone in a fun way.
In many families with siblings, there are arguments about media use: the younger ones feel unfairly treated if they are allowed less than the older ones. What some people find exciting, others find boring. Conversely, some media offerings are too much for younger children. The older ones have the feeling that they constantly have to be considerate of their younger siblings. How can parents master the balancing act between the needs of siblings and encourage their children to use media competently?
Whether an only child or a sibling – rules on media use in the family give children structure and security for their everyday life with media. The needs and developmental stages of each child should be taken into account. For example, it can make sense to give older siblings more freedom when it comes to media use, while younger children are subject to stricter limits. For example, older children are allowed to take certain devices into their own room, while younger children should only use media in the shared living areas. The times of use must match the age of the children. Younger people should spend less time in front of a screen than older people. Define the rules together and make sure that they are fair and understandable for everyone. For example, a media usage contract that you draw up individually for each child can help. Everyone in the family should adhere to basic media rules such as “no media at the dinner table”.
“Give me my tablet back now!”, “That’s for babies, I want to listen to something exciting!”, “Why do I have to turn it off when she can still watch?”. Do sentences like this sound familiar? If the age gap is large, different rules apply for each child. This can easily lead to arguments between siblings, whether over access to certain devices or the choice of content. Make the rules clear to your children and help them to put themselves in their sibling’s shoes. For example: “Your big sister wasn’t allowed to watch videos for more than an hour when she was at primary school “. Make sure you recognize conflicts in good time and support them well. This strengthens the relationship between the siblings and they learn to negotiate, compromise and resolve conflicts more and more independently.
Watching movies or playing games together is fun and creates a bond. Parents should support their children in choosing suitable media content for shared media use. Shared media rituals such as watching a science program on Sunday or listening to music in the car are fun and strengthen family cohesion. Siblings often process media content together and act out scenes from series or immerse themselves in the world of their favorite characters in role-playing games. Siblings can learn a lot from each other, especially when they are creative with media together and design radio plays, stop-motion films or photo collages themselves.
Netflix is one of the most popular streaming portals among families. We explain what to look out for if your child wants to watch movies or series there.
Netflix is a video streaming service where you have unlimited access to a huge selection of movies and series with your own account. The company has the rights to use them and also produces some films and series itself. Anyone who wants to use Netflix has to pay between €4.99 and €17.99 per month. The cheapest subscription has advertising in between – but this is soon to be completely removed. If you pay significantly more (at least 12.99 euros), you can stream on two or four devices simultaneously. Up to five profiles can be created per account with different settings, e.g. age rating, age rating, subtitle display or playback settings. The film and series suggestions in the profile also adhere to these settings, but what is actually suggested is calculated by an algorithm based on the viewing behavior of the individual user.
Account sharing, i.e. the use of an account by several people at the same time, is possible to a limited extent depending on the subscription. This is permitted with persons living in the same household. This is only permitted with persons from other households for an additional charge. The provider examines violations of this in various ways and demands compensation.
The subscription also includes Netflix games. Customers receive access to specially developed or licensed games for mobile devices. These can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or in the Google Play Store as separate game apps. There is no advertising or in-app purchases for the games.
Netflix offers content for all ages. For the movies and series, the streaming service adopts the existing FSK rating. If there is no FSK rating, the age ratings are made by Netflix itself, which must comply with German law.
Due to the wide range of content on offer, there is also countless content for older teenagers (aged 16 and over) and adults (aged 18 and over) that can be frightening and problematic for children and young people. Parental controls can be set up by entering a PIN for selected age ratings or specific movie/series titles. In addition, profiles can be protected with a PIN and special children’s profiles can be set up.
Unlike with analog, linear television, you can theoretically watch series from start to finish. The appeal of spending a lot of time on Netflix is therefore high. Here, personal responsibility is required to limit one’s own viewing time . What is already difficult for some adults is even more difficult to control for children and even teenagers.
Netflix displays the respective age rating for movies/series in various places, on the overview page for the movie, in the detailed information or as an overlay at the beginning when playing. Also, individual titles can be locked for individual profiles. These will then also no longer appear in the search or in the suggestion list. In addition, individual profiles – e.g. the profile for adults or older children – can be assigned a PIN so that younger children do not have access. It is also possible to create children’s profiles. This gives you, as parents, the option of making settings appropriate to the age of your child. For example, you can see what content your child has watched in the last few days or you can prevent the next episode of a series from playing automatically.
Pay attention to the age ratings of movies and series. Use the child or parental control options by creating appropriate profiles and protecting them with a secure PIN . This is the only way to ensure that your child cannot end up in the adult section from the child profile.
Only display titles suitable for children in the children’s profile; these are based on the age ratings 0, 6, 12, 16 or from 18 years. Consider whether automatically playing more episodes really makes sense for you. Also, you can have animation effects reduced in the child profile when navigating on the TV. When watching on portable devices, feel free to use the screen lock so that smaller children in particular cannot adjust anything on the device themselves.
Keep an eye on your child’s screen time. It’s best to set media rules together – and set a good example yourself. Media time should be just one of many other non-media activities. If you’re not sure how much time your child should spend in front of the TV or laptop, check out our video: “How much media time is too much?”
Ask your child about his or her favorite series or movies, and it’s best to watch them together so that your child doesn’t feel alone even during scary scenes. It can also turn the shared experience into a beautiful ritual .
Anyone who smears a swastika on a house wall will be punished for it. But the street has long since ceased to be the sole place for the dissemination of forbidden symbols. On the internet, one click is all it takes to share a text, image or video with prohibited content with numerous readers. As in the physical world, there are also rules in the digital world. We provide information about prohibited symbols on the Internet.
It is forbidden to use signs of unconstitutional organizations. This is stated in Section 86a of the Criminal Code. Such marks are symbols that can be clearly assigned to a specific organization, such as the swastika. Slogans such as “Heil Hitler” are also banned because they clearly refer to National Socialism. Unconstitutional organizations are banned parties, associations or Nazi organizations.
Sharing prohibited symbols online is not always punishable by law. For example, if someone writes “Heil Hitler” in a private chat, this has no legal consequences. However, if the same person shares this publicly on platforms such as Facebook, X or TikTok, it is punishable by law. The distribution of such symbols in public spaces is prohibited by law.
Parents are not liable for their children if they share prohibited content under the age of 14. However, in most cases the youth welfare office is informed, which works with the parents and child to try to work through the background to the sharing. From the age of 14, juveniles can be prosecuted under the Criminal Code.
Children can share forbidden symbols such as the swastika or SS runes online with a simple click, without understanding the potential legal consequences. In what way prohibited symbols are shared does not matter. Whether in text, photos or videos – public sharing in itself is punishable by law. That’s what makes it so treacherous, especially for children. Because a video or meme that seems funny at first glance may contain prohibited symbols. Anyone who is not familiar with it has quickly shared it and thus spread prohibited content.
It is also problematic that some symbols are banned in Germany, while they are permitted in other parts of the world. Symbols from the Nazi era in particular may be legally shared online in some countries. This is why children can unknowingly google, download and share the swastika – despite the ban in Germany. Extremist groups often use social networks to share banned symbols and content, as many people are reached and tracking is often difficult.
Education and guidance: Find out together with your child which symbols are prohibited and why, in order to develop a better understanding of potentially problematic content. It is important and permitted to show such symbols for educational purposes and to explain the background and consequences. A good and quick overview is provided by the Democracy and Diversity website and the NinA NRW project. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution has detailed descriptions of various distinctive signs and symbols of right-wing extremist movements.
Delete and report: If you or your child receive a forbidden symbol in private chats, delete it immediately. If you discover any on the Internet, it is important to report them to the police or to complaints offices on the Internet.
Open communication: Encourage an open exchange about online activities. Encourage your child to talk about their experiences online, including unpleasant or worrying situations.
Encourage critical thinking: Strengthen your child’s critical thinking in the online environment. Discuss how to critically scrutinize news and content on the Internet.
Against trivialization: Take an active stand against the trivialization of prohibited symbols. Explain to your child that these symbols represent extremist ideologies in today’s world.
For resistance: Encourage your child to take a stand against the distribution of prohibited symbols. Promote a positive online community, stand up for tolerance and democratic values.
The social network Instagram continues to be very popular with children and young people, but is repeatedly criticized for not protecting them sufficiently. Instagram is working to improve security on the platform. The latest innovations:
Minors were often unprotected on the platform, received inappropriate advertising, were tempted to use it extensively and could be contacted by strangers without restriction.
The legal situation in Germany has changed with the amendment of the German Youth Protection Act. Providers of social media platforms are now obliged to set up protective measures for minors. For example, there must be default settings so that strangers cannot simply contact minors. In addition, parents must be able to monitor and control their children.
It is now more difficult to circumvent the age limit (use from the age of 13). Any person who Instagram wants to use must necessarily indicate their age, otherwise the account may be blocked. In addition, it is planned that accounts of minors will automatically be “private”. This means that young people decide for themselves who can see their profile. So far, this has been a voluntary option.
Protection from strangers: Minors can only be contacted by people or tagged in posts if they follow them themselves. If a stranger wants to follow minors, he/she will receive a warning. Posts by “suspicious” persons under the public posts of minors are now automatically invisible. It is also easier to delete your own posts, comments and other footprints.
The so-called parental control for Instagram has been in place since June 2022. Accounts of an adult can be linked to accounts of users under the age of 18. Both sides must agree and can end the parental supervision with a click. This makes it possible:
There is also a guide for parents with tips on how to deal with Instagram use, a list of suggestions for a conversation about use and a glossary of important terms.
Instagram has upgraded – but responsible use is still important. There are more tips for you as parents on how to talk to your child about safety, wellbeing and mental health on social media in the family section.
Instagram recently introduced Threads, a new text-based app designed to facilitate private communication between close friends. With this app, users can share photos, videos, messages and stories with a selected group of people. We explain what’s behind Instagram ‘s new text-based app.
Threads was developed to fulfill the need for private and personalized communication with close friends. The functions of Threads have similarities with the platform X Among other things, users can seamlessly share photos, videos and messages with selected contacts as well as real-time updates that show their own activity or mood. Meta’s free messaging app aims to increase the feeling of connection between friends and fulfill the social needs and preferences of young people in today’s digital age.
The functions of threads correspond to young people’s need for self-expression and social contacts. It allows users to control who can see their content and offers a more intimate space for interaction. This makes it possible, for example, to check the news without being distracted by the latest pictures and stories from all subscribed Instagram profiles. Instagram is also used by many adults and all kinds of stars and companies. This means that young people are not really ‘among themselves’ – with threads they are.
Similar to other social networks, there are also potential risks with threads. As all users can publish content there, young people can come across content that is not can be age-appropriate or even problematic, such as harmful content, hate speech, disinformation and manipulative content for political opinion making, war videos and propaganda or conspiracy myths and fake videos. Even if the content violates thread guidelines, it may be visible on the platform until it is discovered and deleted. Communication risks ranging from cyberbullying to cybergrooming can also be addressed.
Instagram offers various tools and settings to protect children and young people who use threads. This includes data protection controls, reporting functions and advice on safe online behavior. In addition, the platform regularly updates its privacy and security features to address new concerns.
An Instagram account is required to use Threads to its full extent. It is not possible to create only a Threads account. Your child will therefore probably use both platforms. Go through the settings together with your child and determine which data the app is allowed to access.
When registering for the first time, the profile is automatically set to “private” on threads for people under the age of 18. However, this default setting is very easy to bypass by clicking on “public”. Then all thread users can follow your child, repost their content, send private messages, etc. This increases the risk of unwanted contacts enormously.
As a parent, you can link your Instagram account to your child’s account. Parental supervision extends to your child’s activity on both Instagram and Threads. For example, you can view followers, accounts that are followed or privacy settings.
Try to understand why it is important for your child to share a status or certain personal information. Talk about privacy and communication risks online. Accompany your child in an age-appropriate manner and keep asking about your child’s online experiences. It is important to talk openly about this so that your child knows that they can confide in you if they experience harassment, disturbing content, cyberbullying or cybergrooming.
Use the option to delete or report content. Accounts that you no longer wish to interact with can also be blocked.
The app only offers added value if it is really only used to communicate with good friends. Your child should only include people in the list of “close friends” that they actually know. Set rules together about what content your child should and should not share. Please refer to our legal information for social media use.
A button on the jacket, an app on the cell phone – and all parental worries about lost children are a thing of the past once and for all, because the child can simply be tracked in an emergency. Sounds great? But Bluetooth tracking has its pitfalls …
The days when children had to mark their paths with breadcrumbs, as in Hansel and Gretel, are over. Today we live in modern media worlds and can track children instead of looking for them. This works, for example, via devices such as smartwatches that locate themselves via GPS and immediately pass on the child’s location to the parents.
But there is another option and that is Bluetooth trackers. The best known are probably the Apple Airtags or Samsung SmartTags, but there are also many other trackers from other providers. These small devices, the size and appearance of key rings, were originally designed to make objects easier to find. If you attach it to your key ring, wallet, bobby car – or even your child – you can locate it via Bluetooth if necessary. The connection between the tracker and smartphone (app) does not work via satellites as with GPS, but directly via radio waves. The tracker connects to an accessible smartphone with a tracker app and can thus determine and send an approximate location. Compared to GPS trackers, Bluetooth trackers are often smaller and lighter, the battery lasts longer and there are no monthly fees. However, they also work somewhat less accurately, especially in the countryside when there are only a few smartphones nearby.
Bluetooth trackers are not the magic cure for relaxed childcare.
On the one hand, Bluetooth is not technically the ultimate in searches: the trackers only really work if there are many matching devices in the vicinity. It therefore makes sense to use a popular tracking app, which is also installed on many other smartphones and helps to determine the location. In the forest, for example, they make no sense at all. In addition, they can only transmit an approximate location. For this reason, a specific area must still be searched in large crowds.
On the other hand, the legal situation is still a little unclear. After all, children also have personal rights – and these include the right not to be monitored without their consent. So at the very least, a conversation and the child’s consent are required to fit them with a tracker. There is also the aspect of data economy to consider: if children are constantly sending and receiving Bluetooth data, strangers can also obtain location information that is none of their business.
And then there is the relationship aspect: secretly monitoring a child is not conducive to building trust in the relationship.
So what to do when the question of a tracker arises?
Have an open conversation with your child and discuss the arguments and scenarios with them in an age-appropriate manner. There are certainly situations – for example in amusement parks, at events or similar – where a tracker gives both you as parents and your child a certain freedom of movement and security. Anxious children in particular may be able to take more independent steps with a tracker in their pocket. In other, less dangerous moments, your child can also enjoy your trust and learn their own strategies for finding their way around.
In all of this, it is important that your child does not get the feeling that they are being monitored or that you do not trust them. So be sure to talk about the ideas and arguments, possibilities and limitations of trackers – and decide together in which situations they seem useful and helpful to all family members and when not. At around 6 to 7 years of age, you can explain the tracking measure to your child in a child-friendly way.
When growing up with smartphones, consoles and the like, media education in the family is of crucial importance. Offers in plain language support parents in this important task, using clear and easy-to-understand language. We present some websites.
Easy language is a simplified form of German that makes information understandable for people with learning difficulties or other impairments. Characteristics are simple words, a clear structure, a limited vocabulary, supporting elements such as pictures and graphics and the avoidance of technical terms. It was developed to break down barriers to communication and ensure that information is easily accessible to a wider population.
Offers on the subject of media education in plain language enable all parents to obtain the necessary information to accompany their children safely and responsibly in the digital world. Elternguide.online offers clear and easy-to-understand explanations on important aspects of media education for all age groups from 0 to 17 years. The topics range from dealing with screen time and selecting age-appropriate content to internet safety. You can find the Parents’ Guide.onlne website in plain language here: https://elternguide.online/leichte-sprache
Webhelm is a project of the JFF – Institut für Medienpädagogik in Forschung und Praxis e. V. and offers articles and information material for educational professionals and parents so that they can support children and young people in dealing competently with online media. Texts on the subject of media and media education can be downloaded from the website. The topics range from data protection to online bullying and social media. Webhelm also offers descriptions of various platforms such as Instagram, Twitch and TikTok. You can find the Webhelm website in plain language here: https://webhelm.de/leichte-sprache/
Problematic or illegal content on the Internet, such as child pornography, hate speech or extremist posts, often violate youth media protection laws. It is therefore important that users report such content. Either via the platform itself or with complaints bodies such as the Voluntary Self-Regulation of Multimedia Service Providers. The FSM complaints office in plain language can be found here: https://www.fsm.de/leichte-sprache/beschwerdestelle/
Whether it’s online bullying, excessive gaming or constant arguments about screen time – media use by children and young people can pose major challenges for all family members. Sometimes it is good to seek professional help. A large number of advice centers are available on the Internet. You can find the counseling services offered by Nummer gegen Kummer for children, young people and parents in plain language here: https://www.nummergegenkummer.de/leichte-sprache/
The website medien-kindersicher.de provides information on technical youth media protection and gives parents instructions on how to set devices, services and apps to be childproof. You can find the instructions in plain language here: https://www.medien-kindersicher.de/leichte-sprache/startseite-medien-kindersicherde
Children have rights that have been enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child since 1989. These include the right to health and the right to play and leisure. But a lot has changed since then. The rapid development of digital media and technologies has significantly changed the way children grow up. Digital media play an important role from an early age. We explain the key aspects of children’s rights in the digital world.
The digital world encompasses various digital technologies, from the internet and mobile devices to online games and social media. All children’s rights apply everywhere. Some rights play a special role:
Every child has the right to unrestricted and equal access to the digital world. However, this does not mean that children should use media without restriction. Depending on your child’s age and stage of development, you as parents can agree rules with your child on how long and which media may be used.
Like adults, children also have the right to freely express their opinions and obtain information. The Internet offers children the opportunity to obtain age-appropriate information in a variety of ways and to express and disseminate their own opinions. Make sure your child only accesses websites that are safe and suitable for children.
Every child has the right to privacy. As parents, you should therefore be aware of and considerate of your child’s personal rights on the Internet. Avoid disclosing personal data such as your child’s name or address. Ask your child for permission before you post photos of them online or send them via Messenger. Respecting your child’s privacy also means not checking your child’s smartphone out of curiosity. If you are concerned about your child, seek a trusting conversation with him or her.
Digital media offer children a wide range of opportunities to express themselves creatively, learn and network with their peers. Encourage your child to explore age-appropriate platforms such as the Knipsclub photo community and digital play worlds. Ensure a good balance with other activities. Encouraging creative play in the digital world allows your child to develop their imagination.
Every child has the right to equal access to education. With regard to the digitalized world, support from the family, nursery and school is important so that children learn to deal safely and responsibly with the opportunities and risks in the media world. Today, the right to media access is also always a right to access educational media offerings such as playful learning sites.
Children’s rights focus on the best interests of the child. Children must be protected from all forms of violence, abuse and poor treatment (such as cyberbullying, cybergrooming and hate speech) in all areas of life, including the digital sphere. Special youth protection programs can help to minimize risks. Talk to your child about security risks and problematic content on the internet to empower them to protect themselves.
Children have the right to network online with their peers, share common interests and form digital communities. Parents should encourage their children to use online platforms such as the helpando help site or participation platforms that are designed to be age-appropriate, safety-conscious and promote positive interactions. This allows children to cultivate digital friendships and develop important social skills for life in an increasingly networked world – always aware of the challenges and opportunities that the digital environment offers.
Talk to your child about their rights. The family plays an important role for children’s rights in the digital space. As parents, you have the task of enabling your child to grow up well. This also includes teaching them basic media skills and values. Therefore, find out about your child’s media use, stay in contact and make (joint) decisions that are appropriate for your child’s age and development. Cooperative cooperation and a respectful and trusting relationship are the basic prerequisites for your child to turn to you as a contact person in the event of problems. Children need to know their rights. Only then can they claim them for themselves and stand up for them. Incidentally, your importance as parents for the development and well-being of your child is also expressly emphasized in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Further information on children’s rights can be found in a child-friendly format on Kindersache and at Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk .
From binge-watching to gaming – the popular streaming service Netflix has been offering an additional service alongside films and series since the end of 2021. Netflix games give Netflix customers access to specially developed or licensed games for mobile devices. These can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or in the Google Play Store as separate game apps.
With Netflix games, the well-known streaming provider is trying to offer its customers even more content for their subscription in addition to films and series. To this end, Netflix has acquired a games company in order to be able to develop games itself. To date, Netflix has already developed more than 50 games and plans to further increase the range over time.
For Netflix customers, the service has the great advantage that it is included in the subscription. This means that there are no additional costs when playing Netflix games. There is also no advertising or in-app purchases in the games. This is also independent of the chosen subscription model. Netflix games are available even with the cheapest Netflix subscription. The offer is not a separate “Netflix games app”, but access to various apps via a Netflix account. If you want to download one of the game apps, you have to log in with your Netflix account and have a valid subscription.
Netflix Games has a wide range of different genres of games, from action and adventure to puzzle, role-playing and strategy games. There are currently 14 categories of games. Games based on well-known series such as Stranger Things are certainly of particular interest to children and young people. Netflix is constantly working on improving the attractiveness of its offering. Recently, the classic games GTA III, GTA Vice City and GTA San Andreas have been added to the range. There are also many games that are suitable for children and younger teenagers, such as puzzles and soccer games.
Since Netflix wants to offer different genres of games, not all of which are suitable for children and young people, Netflix games are not available for Netflix children’s profiles. Parents must download individual game apps to their children’s smartphone or tablet via their adult account. All Netflix games are age-rated in the Google Play Store or App Store so that parents can make an informed decision about which games they allow their child to play.
Netflix games has a large collection of different games from various genres. Some of these games may therefore contain depictions of violence or sexual content and are not suitable for children.
If you give your child access to Netflix games, pay attention to the age ratings and only give your child access to games that are suitable for their age and level of development. Please note that Netflix games can only be used with an active Netflix account and subscription. Make sure that your child does not get access to your Netflix account via this detour and do not give your child the access data for your regular Netflix account to play Netflix games. This is because it could access streaming content that is not age-appropriate.
When dealing with mobile games, it is generally important to discuss rules on media use within the family. Make binding agreements with your child about gaming, smartphone use and screen time. Use technical precautionary measures to set the playing time and title according to age.
Many families no longer rely on linear television, i.e. watching what’s on. Instead, people use their smart TVs or tablets to access streaming services – whenever they have the time and the inclination to watch TV.
The offer for children and young people is virtually unlimited and available at any time with streaming services and media libraries. Children watch movies and series partly on their own. This makes it all the more important to set the services so that they can only access child-friendly and age-appropriate content.
Keep track of how much your child watches. Binge-watching can also occur among children and young people if they are not accompanied in their media use.
Youth protection measures are intended to prevent children and young people from having experiences that are inappropriate for their age. These are, for example, content that may frighten or disturb them, or unwanted contact by strangers. Streaming services must use certain settings to ensure that their services are safe for children and young people to use.
Each streaming service has its own parental control settings, which are adjusted from time to time. Therefore, we can only reflect a current status (December 2022) of the most popular services in each case.
Regularly inform yourself about current functions and parental control settings of “your” streaming provider. Many have their own information portals for parents.
You can find the parental controls in Prime Video either in your Amazon account via the browser (Gear: Settings) or in the app under “My Area”. Here you can set up a PIN, after entering which secured content can still be viewed. In addition, purchase restrictions and playback restrictions can be activated with the parental control. Parents can create their own children’s area on Amazon with the additional paid subscription Amazon Kids+. Read more about how to set up Amazon parental controls here.
Disney+ also allows children’s profiles to be created with a child-friendly user interface. In these, only content with age ratings from FSK 0 up to and including FSK 6 is displayed. However, it is not possible to specify preferences for certain age ratings of content. A PIN can be used to prevent the creation of new profiles. Read more on the Disney+ help page.
ARD and ZDF have implemented youth protection in two ways: Films, series and programs that are not suitable for children and young people under the age of 16 or 18 can only be watched without registration from 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. (until 6 a.m.). There is also a children’s section that displays only content suitable for children. As soon as this is left, there is a hint. Those who set up an account to use the media libraries can also make additional individual settings, such as additional age ratings, setting a code, and creating a personalized media library. More about this on the help pages of ARD and ZDF.
With Netflix Kids environment, you can create one or more kids profiles for Netflix. This parental control allows you to set age ratings for a profile, block individual titles, set up a PIN, and enable or disable autoplay. With a child profile, no changes can be made to the own or a
other profile can be made. The Netflix Kids environment does not only apply to movies and series, it can also be used to restrict access Netflix games. You can get step-by-step instructions on how to set up parental controls on the corresponding Netflix help page.
Technical parental control settings are particularly useful when children know about them. Talk to your child about possible dangers and the goal of the settings. You should regularly consider whether settings can be adjusted – together with your child.
Despite a parental control, your child needs companionship in their media use. Be approachable when questions or fears arise. And watch your child when they watch videos. Choose content together in advance – then you can let your child watch an episode alone. When you set media rules together, you support the promotion of media literacy.
You can read more about the setting options and detailed instructions in the klicksafe guide.
They know what’s going on on the catwalks and in the fashion stores of the world: fashion influencers take us into their closets and show us what we should be wearing to be cool. This article is part of our series “Influencers in portrait”.
Still undecided about the OOTD? Looking for someone for GRWM? Or confused by all the capital letters? Who is on Instagram and the like, you will quickly come across a large number of fashion influencers and at least as many abbreviations and technical terms. The Outfit of the Day (OOTD) is chosen in front of the camera, put on and explained in detail, and in the morning there is a “Get ready with me” (GRWM), also with commentary. In the afternoon, the shopping haul is presented, i.e. the haul from the shopping trip. And every post is full of “inspo” – as inspiration to copy. The influencers behind the fashion profiles know exactly what the right wardrobe is for which season and which occasion, present their latest and favorite fabrics in appealing photos and videos and also like to combine this with a bit of beauty, sports or diary content.
If you search for the relevant keywords and hashtags, you will find an astonishing number of profiles on social media platforms with a great passion for fashion and outfits.
The following have achieved some fame Gerda Lewis The Cologne native of Lithuanian origin regularly presents her outfits, cosmetic products and activities to her 1 million followers on her Instagram page and recommends the corresponding products and stores.
Particularly appealing to younger viewers is Mavie Noelle Even as a teenager, Mavie takes her approximately 1 million fans into her nursery, shows them her favorite outfits for school or chilling out and shares her Christmas gift ideas. Again, always with a direct link to the respective store.
Madeleine Darya Alizadeh alias Dariadaria started as a fashion blogger in 2010. From 2013, however, she shifted her focus and became more involved with topics such as sustainability, feminism and social justice, and now combines fashion with meaningful fluencing. She runs a sustainable fashion brand and often speaks out on political and social issues.
A male representative of the fashion scene is Toni Mahfud . The Hamburg native runs one of the largest fashion accounts in Germany and has around 3.5 million followers. He is under contract as a model with a large agency and also promotes clothing and other products via social media.
Fashion has always been a perennial favorite for the upcoming generation. In the school playground, in youth magazines and now also on social media: What is currently in and out, who is wearing what and what it says are key topics for children and young people. It’s clear that fashion influencers are knocking on the doors of their target group.
Children and young people find orientation and role models here, they can inform themselves and develop, try out and find their own style.
It is precisely because fashion influencers often combine their fashion tips with other topics, such as giving seemingly personal insights into their everyday lives or sharing private topics, that they appear very approachable and offer children and young people a lot of opportunity to identify with them.
For parents, the appeal of fashion-loving online celebrities is not always easy to understand. It’s not just the fashion itself – which, as we all know, only ever appeals to the generation being addressed – the presentation on the profiles can also appear exaggerated and garish to adults. Nevertheless, fashion is an important topic for children and young people and influencers are often the stars of their peer group. As parents, it is therefore a good idea to be open-minded at first. Have your children show you their profiles, watch the videos together and discuss them openly.
At the same time, children and young people should learn that the fashion worlds portrayed by these influencers often have little in common with normal everyday life. Perfect pictures are published here and a glossy everyday life is shown, which is of course staged for the profiles. Children and young people need to be aware that neither the body and beauty ideals portrayed are realistic, nor the extent of shopping and clothing consumption. For reasons of sustainability alone.
As with most influencers, there is also a business model behind their digital presence. Advertised clothes or items are often part of an advertising contract and not personal favorites.
Discuss these topics with your child and help them to examine the content critically – this will strengthen their media skills. And you can still take a little “inspiration” with you at any time.
Saving the climate, promoting more tolerance, educating people about mental health – so-called meaningful influencers are the “good guys” on social media. Always on hand when it’s time to stand up for a good cause. This article is part of our series “Influencers in portrait”.
The Sinnfluencers of the 21st century seem to have taken their motto from a popular song from the 90s: They are “always fighting injustice in the world”.
Wherever it is necessary to stand up for a good or against a bad cause, they are always there. They use their reach and digital fame to explain topics, broaden perspectives and advance “the good cause”. This can be climate protection or mental health. Some fight for tolerance and openness in society, others campaign for a vegan diet or sustainable consumption. To this end, they publish statements or explanatory videos, for example, recommend events or products, exchange ideas with others or offer insights into their own everyday lives.
The best-known name from the Sinnfluencing cosmos in German-speaking countries is probably Luisa Neubauer. In 2019, the Berliner became one of the best-known faces of the “Fridays for Future” climate movement and has been publicly campaigning for climate protection ever since. She has almost half a million followers on her Instagram profile, where she posts calls for demonstrations, positions on political decisions and statements on climate protection.
Also Louisa Dellert often talks about environmental protection, and even more often about mental health. She has been active on social media since 2013, started out as a fitness influencer and turned to mental health after a breakdown in 2015. She writes about mindfulness, healthy living and her own burnout – and also produces a podcast.
If you want to find out more about nutrition – especially veganism – you will quickly come across Philipp Steuer. The Cologne native not only publishes information on vegan nutrition on his profiles, but also regularly posts new recipes, sells a cookbook and runs a vegan cosmetics brand. This means he reaches around a quarter of a million fans.
Also from Cologne Alice Hasterswho is primarily dedicated to the topic of racism. Unlike many other influencers, Hasters has a background in traditional journalism, has trained as a journalist and works for many major German media outlets. At the same time, she uses her reach to raise awareness of racism on social media and fight against it.
Ricardo Simonetti is a presenter, author, activist and uses his reach as a meaningful influencer on social media. He began acting and presenting radio shows as a teenager. In addition to his presence on social media, he is also active on television. Above all, he campaigns for the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community and uses his fame to fight against homophobia, discrimination and hate speech.
With their profiles and content, meaningful influencers present themselves very strongly as moral and authentic role models. They therefore offer orientation and explanatory approaches, especially for children and young people. Young people who are searching for their own identity and world view will find people here who are happy to explain the world to them. Topics are addressed that are important in the course of growing up: “What is good, what is bad? Who do I want to be and how do I position myself?” While such topics are sometimes neglected at school, for example, their role models on social media offer explanations, opinions and even opportunities for practical implementation and can therefore be important reference persons for children and young people.
It is fundamentally right and important for children and young people to deal with the question of “good and evil”. Many use TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and co. as a source of information and orientation. And that – as always – brings with it a certain need for caution. Because even meaningful influencers have to earn money with their profiles. Therefore, many of the advertised products or content are advertising partnerships.
In the digital world, children and young people are confronted with a variety of challenges. helpando is a trustworthy point of contact that provides support in difficult situations and informs children about their rights. This article introduces the digital help platform for children and young people.
helpando is a project of the KinderRechteForum (KRF). This non-profit organization has been campaigning for the realization of children’s rights for years. The helpando platform helps children and young people with any problem. The help team also intervenes when children’s rights are violated and informs children and young people about their rights in an understandable, child-friendly and empathetic way.
This uncomplicated help is available directly on the website or via WhatsApp, SMS, Facebook or Instagram Messenger. Phone calls and e-mails are also possible. The consultation is strictly confidential and free of charge.
Children and young people can also publish their case anonymously – and show others that they are not alone with their problem. The platform thus promotes the well-being and rights of children and young people.
helpando also helps to improve the situation of children and young people in a concrete and local way. Does your town need a new playground? Is there a lack of leisure facilities for young people? The school is still not barrier-free? The help platform can be used to post campaigns and draw attention to petitions. The helpando team provides support and contacts local authorities, for example.
The help platform also provides information about children’s rights and child-friendly events.
On Instagram and TikTok, helpando raises awareness of children’s rights, mental health and issues that children and young people are concerned about.
Take on a supportive and informed role and respect your child’s trust and autonomy. Help your child to seek support in difficult situations and show them digital help platforms such as helpando or similar services. Assist with making contact or seeking support if required.
Open and regular communication is crucial. Allow your child to express themselves freely and share worries, problems or concerns. This creates trust and makes it possible to react to potential challenges at an early stage.
Be aware that the online world is often a complex environment for children and young people. Respond sensitively and understandingly to your child’s challenges and problems.
Addiction, violence, conspiracy theories, cyberbullying – sometimes you can get the impression that the Internet only brings out the worst in us.
But they do exist: the good sites on the worldwide web. The positive and age-appropriate content, the good news, the community and cohesion. We present valuable digital offerings for children and young people.
For the youngest users, the Internet is a vast space that is difficult to navigate at first. There is a gigantic offer of pages and content. But beware: most of the sites are aimed at adults.
Especially the classic access to the web via Google -search engine often leads to results that are, at best, boring and incomprehensible for children, at worst, frightening and traumatizing. But there are other ways: With children of kindergarten and elementary school age, parents are best off turning before Google – and using children’s search engines. The best-known search engine is fragFINN. Here, every search displays child-friendly, vetted sites that are guaranteed to be fun.
If you are looking for good websites or apps, you don’t have to despair at the flood of offers, but will find recommendations and tips bundled together. Seitenstark features more than 60 tested children’s websites with high standards of quality and protection of children and young people from harmful media. Here children can find everything on topics such as nature and the environment, music and film, history and politics, or religion. The app database of the DJI (German Youth Institute) presents good children’s apps. Those interested in news will find age-appropriate information on news sites for children. The EU initiative klicksafe gives children valuable tips on how to use media safely.
But the offer does not have to remain purely passive: many websites offer opportunities to participate, such as the safe photo community Knipsclub, the portal Kindersache or other participation platforms.
And when the children get older? Then, in most cases, inappropriate search results are no longer the problem. Young people are moving more independently online, using social media platforms in particular for information and exchange. There they are confronted with many things – from negative headlines and political extremes to communication risks such as hate and bullying. And dubious role models, unrealistic life goals, such as those conveyed by influencers, can also be problematic.
For parents, it’s important to stay in communication with their child about what content they encounter online, what’s okay – and where they should rather steer clear.
Also, parents can give suggestions on valuable sites on the net. If you’re looking for positive news, for example, you’ll find it on sites like https://goodnews.eu/ or ZDF ‘s “Good News”. And thus perhaps creates a balance to the eternal negative news spiral, the doomscrolling.
There are many people and providers on social media platforms who stand for good, positive topics and values – and also good dealings. Starting with activists like Luisa Neubauer on Instagram for the climate or Raul Krauthausen on Facebook for inclusion. Under hashtags like #bodypositivity, stars like Sarah Nicole Landry convey a positive body image. This can be good for adolescents going through puberty.
And the great thing is that if you start following positive people and content, the algorithm helps you right along and flushes even more pleasant content onto your screen. This can quickly create a friendlier, more positive bubble where young people can feel more comfortable and safe than in the unfiltered social media world.
Whether for children, teenagers or adults, one thing is clear: There’s everything on the Internet. The good news and the bad, the beautiful sides and the terrible, the nice encounters and the unpleasant ones. Just everything that people have up their sleeves. And on and offline, we can and must choose well for ourselves what we want to occupy ourselves with.
Therefore, accompany your child to the net. Use – in consultation with your child – solutions for technical youth media protection such as settings on the smartphone, youth protection apps or special software. This can be used to secure devices and filter out content that is not age-appropriate.
Show your child the “good parts,” suggest content, and also talk about how they can choose content, why they should choose critically, and the impact the people and issues we engage with every day can have on us. The klicksafe materials, for example, are suitable for discussions about media use or for agreeing on rules with each other.
And if you do have unpleasant encounters with hate, extremism or the like, it’s also good to know the right places to go. We present these in the article “Digital advice services for young people and parents“.
