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.
Playing a prank on someone, for example ringing the front doorbell and then just running away, that’s probably something everyone did as a child and had fun with. Much like the challenge phenomenon, which involves filming yourself completing a challenge and posting the clip online, pranks are the modern version of the childhood prank: videos of pranks played on others can be found in large numbers on YouTube & Co. You can learn more about this in this text.
As children get older and they begin to think ahead, that is, to imagine what will happen next, they get excited about pranks and movies in which mishaps happen to people.
“Prank” is the English term for prank. Many influencers film the pranks they play on friends, other influencers from social networks or even uninvolved passers-by. People who play pranks on others in this way are called “pranksters”. Many of them are usually harmless and funny, such as prank phone calls or scaring your girlfriend or boyfriend in their sleep. If a person has been pranked, they are said to have been “pranked”.
Especially the social networks popular with children and young people such as
YouTube
and
TikTok
are popular platforms for pranks of all kinds.
In order to attract a high level of attention from the community and get as many clicks as possible, however, some pranks are becoming increasingly problematic. YouTuber ApoRed dropped a bag in a savings bank during his “bomb prank” and shouted “You all have 30 seconds, you better run if you value your life!”. Some passers-by were very scared and subsequently had trouble sleeping. ApoRed was sentenced to probation and 200 community service hours. The trial was intended to make it clear that the state also takes note of crimes in social networks and does not tolerate them.
This example is, of course, an extreme individual case that does not represent the rule. YouTube has since tightened its terms of use, as more and more such videos have had serious consequences. It is now illegal to post pranks and challenges that involve “the risk of real danger or death” on YouTube.
Whether on TikTok, YouTube or Instagram – problematic pranks affect every age group. The aim here is often to frighten the “victim” with supposedly dangerous situations, sometimes even to provoke disgust or despair. In some cases, even young children are presented in this way by caregivers such as older siblings or parents, who are often particularly well received by the community due to their awkward behavior. One example of this is the “egg cracking prank”, in which parents pretend to record a baking video and then suddenly crack an egg on the child’s forehead. Other pranks also use face filters or similar to scare children. However, consumers of such videos must be aware that such pranks can lead to emotional damage in the children concerned and a loss of trust in important caregivers.
You can find out more about questionable family pranks here at Webhelm.
In fact, young people are more likely to watch prank videos than make them themselves. However, influencers like to encourage people to imitate the content, whether with a camera or not, whether harmless or not. Young people are often not even aware of the consequences. Others may come to harm or may not find it funny to be featured in a video. The right to one’s own image is part of the personal rights to which everyone is entitled – including underage children. Explain to your child that uploading photos or videos without the consent of the persons recorded is prohibited. Disregarding personal rights can be prosecuted under criminal law in Germany.
If your child enjoys watching such videos online, let them show you and tell you what they like about them. However, also make it clear that dangerous pranks in particular are not suitable for imitation and that a lot of content on social networks is staged, even if it appears authentic. Keep an open mind for funny and harmless challenges or pranks from your child’s influencers.
You can find out more about the phenomenon of challenges in this article.
TikTok gehört noch immer zu den beliebtesten Apps unter Jugendlichen. Sie ist eine Plattform für kreative Kurzvideos aller Art.
TikTok ist Social-Media-Plattform und Video-App in einem: Userinnen und User können bei TikTok aus einer bunten Sammlung von bekannten Popsongs, beliebten Audios und Zitaten, z. B. aus Filmen, wählen. Dazu „singen“ oder „sprechen“ sie Playback und filmen ihre Choreografie innerhalb der App mit dem Smartphone. Aber auch komplett selbst kreierte Kurzvideos werden umgesetzt. Die meisten Videos sind ein paar Sekunden bis wenige Minuten lang. Bestimmte Clips lösen einen richtigen Hype aus, werden nachgeahmt oder im Sinne eines Trends oder einer Challenge weitergeführt.
Die Videos der TikTokerinnen und TikToker, deren Account öffentlich ist, lassen sich über einen Browser anschauen, ohne dass man bei der App angemeldet sein muss. Um selbst Videos zu erstellen, wird allerdings ein Account benötigt.
TikTok bringt immer mehr Funktionen heraus, z. B. sich im Duett mit anderen Usern filmen, die Clips anderer weiterführen (Stitch) oder Livestreams. Auch Unternehmen nutzen die Plattform, um darüber zu werben.
Jugendliche nutzen TikTok gern zum Spaß und für den Austausch untereinander. Auf TikTok lassen sich die jungen Nutzenden unterhalten, suchen nach Vorbildern, an denen sie sich orientieren können, stellen sich selbst dar und erhoffen sich positive Rückmeldung von anderen.
TikTok ist außerdem eine tolle Plattform, um die eigene Kreativität auszuleben. Die Hürde, ein eigenes Video zu erstellen und zu teilen, ist niedrig: In der App gibt es viele Videoeffekte und eine Musikbibliothek mit beliebten Songs, die sofort verwendet werden können.
Kinder und Jugendliche schätzen an TikTok, dass es darin weniger um Perfektion und Professionalität geht, wie auf Instagram oder YouTube, sondern Kreativität und Spaß im Vordergrund stehen. Die Videos sind näher am Alltag und die TikTokerinnen und TikToker werden als nahbarer empfunden.
There are a number of things you and your child should consider before using the app:
TikTok ist sich der Gefahr von verstörenden und unerwünschten Inhalten bewusst und passt seine Sicherheitseinstellungen immer wieder an. Folgende Sicherheitsfeatures stehen Jugendlichen und Ihnen als Eltern zur Verfügung:
Generell lassen sich Accounts melden und/oder blockieren und es gibt einen Filter für beleidigende Kommentare.
In der App wird nach der Registrierung durch einen roten Punkt auf die Einstellungen verwiesen. Im Sicherheitszentrum der TikTok-Website können Eltern Tipps nachlesen.
Personen, die selbst TikToks erstellen und veröffentlichen, können seit einiger Zeit „Alle Kommentare filtern“ und einzeln freigeben. Wer die TikToks anderer kommentieren möchten, wird vorher gefragt, ob dieser Kommentar auch wirklich veröffentlicht werden soll. Außerdem gibt es einen Hinweis auf die Community-Richtlinien, die unangemessene Sprache und Hate Speech verbieten.
TikTok steht wegen seiner Moderationsregeln in der Kritik, denn offenbar wird durch den speziellen Algorithmus stark kontrolliert, welche Videos die Nutzenden sehen können. Auf diese Kritik hat TikTok reagiert. Nutzende haben mittlerweile mehr Optionen, Einfluss auf die vom TikTok-Algorithmus angezeigten Inhalte in ihrem Feed zu nehmen:
Sie können Videos nun mit „nicht interessiert“ markieren oder konkrete Inhalte mit bestimmten Hashtags oder Wörtern automatisch herausfiltern. Seit März 2023 stellt TikTok eine Neustart-Option für den Für-Dich-Feed zur Verfügung. Wer findet, dass die vorgeschlagenen Videos sich wiederholen oder nicht mehr zu den Interessen passen, kann den Feed zurücksetzen und nutzt die App wie nach der erstmaligen Anmeldung. Trotz dieser Maßnahmen bleibt der Für-Dich-Feed Algorithmus-gesteuert und bleibt somit nach wie vor in der Hand des Anbieters. So filtert TikTok zum Beispiel immer wieder Videos von Menschen mit Beeinträchtigungen heraus und je nach Nutzungs-Land kann es sein, dass die Videos der Zensur ihrer dortigen Regierungen unterliegen.
Wenn Ihr Kind sich bei TikTok anmelden möchte, fragen Sie nach seiner Motivation. Sehen Sie sich vor dem Download gemeinsam die Nutzungsbedingungen an. Bei Handysektor finden Sie diese in einem kurzen Überblick. Um TikTok zu erkunden, ist es nicht notwendig, einen Account zu erstellen. Vielleicht ist das Surfen auf TikTok via Browser für den Anfang eine gute Option für Ihr Kind, um herauszufinden, ob ihm TikTok überhaupt gefällt.
Wenn es irgendwann einen Account geben soll, richten Sie diesen gemeinsam ein und probieren Sie zusammen die ersten Schritte aus. Geben Sie das richtige Geburtsjahr an. Für 13- bis 17-Jährige greifen gewisse Sicherheitsfeatures, die den Jugendschutz erhöhen. Eine Anleitung zu kindersicheren Einstellungen TikTok finden Sie auf medien-kindersicher.de.
Sprechen Sie mit Ihrem Kind über die möglichen Gefahren. Besonders wichtig ist, auf die Privatsphäre zu achten und in den Videos nicht zu viel von sich preiszugeben. Im privaten Modus ist mehr Kontrolle möglich. So ist die Kommunikation nur mit Freundinnen und Freunden möglich und Ihr Kind behält den Überblick darüber, wer die Videos sehen kann.
Versichern Sie Ihrem Kind, dass es sich jederzeit an Sie wenden kann, sollte es Beleidigungen erhalten oder belästigt werden. Zeigen Sie ihm außerdem, wie man unangemessene Inhalte blockieren und melden kann. Mehr Informationen dazu bietet der Leitfaden für Eltern von TikTok in Zusammenarbeit mit der FSM.
Um die eigene Privatsphäre und die von anderen besser zu schützen, muss bei einem Video nicht unbedingt immer das Gesicht zu sehen sein. Mit Hilfe von Emoji-Stickern oder anderen kreativen Lösungen ist das möglich.
The range of video games is now huge, so it’s easy to lose track between, for example, adventure or action games, learning and strategy games, simulations or role-playing games. As a parent, you may feel uneasy about allowing your child to play video games. After all, you always hear that they can be addictive or have other negative effects. But digital games can also serve important functions. As is usually the case with media use, the same applies here: The level and selection of content are crucial for responsible use. Age ratings provide some initial guidance.
Worldwide, Germany has the most binding legal rules for the testing and sale of video games. The protection of minors plays a major role here. Because, as with most entertainment, parents should make sure that video games are safe for the child’s age. The age ratings of the Entertainment Software Self-Regulation Body (USK) provide orientation.
For you as a parent, it is important to know that the USK ratings do not inform whether a game is already manageable or understandable for children. Nor do they constitute pedagogical recommendations. The USK age rating indicates whether the game is harmless from the point of view of youth protection, i.e. whether it does not contain any content that is harmful to the respective age group.
These USK labels can be found on every game package, every data carrier and usually at every reputable online store. The following age ratings are available:
Since January 2023, additional information has been provided in addition to the age ratings. These can be found on the back of the game packaging and in the USK title database. The notes provide information about the reasons that led to the age classification (such as “violence”, “pressure to act” or “drugs”). And they indicate which possible aspects of use you should pay attention to (such as “in-game purchases” or chats”). Here, the individual notes are explained in more detail.
For Europe, there is still the age rating of PEGI (Pan European Games Information) with the age levels 3, 7, 12, 16 and 18. Additional symbols indicate whether certain games address scary, violent or sexual content and the like. You can find out more about this at Spieleratgeber NRW.
IARC stands for “International Age Rating Coalition” and is a worldwide system for age rating online games and apps. Since these are becoming more and more important and the Internet knows no national borders, the institutions responsible for age ratings from different countries have joined forces and developed this age rating system. This includes a questionnaire that game developers of online games and game apps can use to independently rate the content of their products. In each country, this information results in a license plate that complies with the youth protection rules in force there. In Germany, this is done by the USK. Therefore, you can find the USK notices on many online platforms that use this system, such as Google Play Store, Nintendo eShop, Microsoft Store, PlayStation Store, Xbox Store and Meta Quest Store. However, you should not rely on this alone, as the USK only checks the game developers’ self-assessments on a random basis or in response to complaints. Additionally, use game reviews from educational platforms, such as www.spielbar.de or Spielerratgeber NRW.
Observe your child as he or she interacts with the content. There are children who do not yet understand content well, even though they are already suitable according to the age recommendation. There is nothing wrong with that, every child is different and develops differently. Just see if other offers are more suitable.
After the highly acclaimed launch of the game app Pokémon GO in 2016, there continue to be enthusiastic players worldwide and more and more of these little monsters, called Pokémon. Maybe you know Pikachu, Glumanda and Shiggi from your own childhood – from trading cards or the video game.
In Pokémon GO, the player becomes the trainer. He or she collects Pokémon all around the environment. These are developed, trained and can compete against each other in battle.
Pokemon GO is a so-called location-based game app that only works with an Internet connection, GPS turned on, and camera access. On the cell phone display, the surroundings are shown as a virtual map. On this, the little monsters appear when you move with your smartphone (outdoors). In addition, in some places there are so-called Pokéstops, where you can collect the Pokéballs and other accessories that are important for catching Pokémons, or arenas, where Pokémons of different players compete against each other.
To find certain Pokémons, the player must go to certain places. Because the numerous and different monsters can be found in different places, depending on their strength and characteristics.
The fusion of reality and play certainly inspires not only children and young people. Playing online with Pokémon GO is easy via smartphone, even outdoors and together. You can take the smartphone out of your pocket at any time and search for new monsters in the immediate vicinity. It’s like an exciting treasure hunt or relieves boredom while waiting for the bus, for example.
The different levels of the game also make it entertaining and attractive for young people: collecting and evolving monsters, fighting against each other, competing with each other by leveling up, and constantly evolving the game with new gadgets and new Pokémons. In recent years, more and more events and promotions are being offered for which gamers can buy tickets and network online or offline in real time.
Since Pokémon could theoretically appear anywhere on the road, users of the app tend to always have their eyes on the cell phone display, so caution is advised in traffic. As an add-on, the manufacturer offers the Pokéball Plus: a plastic ball that is connected to the smartphone via Bluetooth and vibrates when a Pokémon appears.
The app can also tempt you to visit unfamiliar places on your own, enter inaccessible places like construction sites, or run off at night to catch certain Pokémon. Make firm rules of the game here. Your child should always go on a quest accompanied by a friendly player, and a parent or guardian should always be aware of the locations visited.
Since there are always new Pokémon, the game virtually never ends. The more and stronger Pokémon you have, the higher your game level. Many children and young people like to compare themselves with each other and want to be better than the others. That’s why the app tempts you to want to keep playing. In the rules for game use, you should therefore determine together with your child how long and how often he or she may access the app.
In terms of data protection, Pokémon GO is subject to some criticism. In order for your child to use the app and go on a Pokémon hunt, GPS reception on the smartphone must be activated at all times. You have to give the app many more permissions, including access to the SD card and the camera. It is not clear to what extent the manufacturer Niantic uses all this data or could use it in the future.
The game is financed via
In-App Purchases
. You acquire virtual Poké coins through game progress or for real money, and in exchange you can get more or less important items. Accessories are also offered in miracle boxes, for example, eggs from which Pokémon hatch. These boxes are also called Lootboxes because the actual value of the content is a matter of luck. To avoid tempting your child, you as a parent can deactivate in-app purchases on iOS or password-protect them on Android. Because even without these in-app purchases, the game is fun!
The game was put under the microscope by Stiftung Warentest in 2019 and was the only one of the games tested to receive the second-best category of “Questionable”, whereas all the others received an “Unacceptable”. The only problem is data privacy: The name of the mobile provider and usage statistics are passed on to third parties, and the privacy policy is not understandable for children.
On the official website of the U.S. game manufacturer Niantic and when launching the app, among other things, the above-mentioned problems are pointed out and tips for safety are given. In addition, guardians are advised to use parental controls in the settings of cell phones. This can be used to limit game time and in-app purchases. Through the Niantic Kids Parent Portal, parents can set up, manage, and customize their child’s game accounts before their first game. More information offers the in-app purchases
Your child is eager to go hunting for Pokémon? Here you are faced with the task of assessing whether your child is aware of the risks being addressed. In addition to data protection issues (especially constant location tracking), this includes whether your child already understands the principle of “augmented reality” – that is, the merging of reality and play.
Always download only the original app (from Niantic). Third-party apps are often infected with malware.
You, as the parent or guardian, must set up a separate children’s account for children under 13. It is recommended to create a new account and not use an existing Google account. Use the Niantic Kids parent portal to manage your child’s game account.
It’s best to discover the game together with your child and agree on rules for the duration of the game, the permitted play radius and in-app purchases. Team up with friendly families and don’t let your child go off on their own. Maybe the game is a good opportunity for a joint Pokémon walk in the fresh air!
They are among the most popular online formats among children and young people: Pranks and challenges. For example, people film themselves imitating the dances of characters from the game Fortnite. Or in the #CelebLookAlike challenge , friends are asked who looks like which famous person.
Challenges exist on almost all social networks. They are particularly popular with TikTok. Challenges can be fun and get attention for a specific cause. However, it can sometimes be dangerous when younger people in particular try to imitate certain challenges.
This Internet phenomenon probably became known through the Ice Bucket Challenge, in which participants poured a bucket of ice water over their heads to draw attention to the disease ALS. The Ice Bucket Challenge served a good cause. Challenges can also have other functions and backgrounds. People take on various challenges, record the whole thing on video and then upload it to social networks.
It’s hard to imagine TikTok without challenges. While in the beginning mainly dances or certain songs were imitated, today there are no limits. The idea behind so-called hashtag challenges is to post your own interpretation of the challenge and tag the video with the hashtag as well. These videos go viral within hours and are shared and imitated by users all over the world. Companies are also taking advantage of this by initiating hashtag challenges to gain more awareness among young people.
Some challenges are for pure entertainment. In the #LevelUpChallenge, pets are filmed overcoming certain hurdles. Other challenges pursue a good cause, like the #cleansnap challenge. Here, a place polluted by trash was to be filmed before and after the cleanup. TikTok donated for each uploaded video to the environmental protection association Wings of the ocean.
Adolescents find it exciting to compete with others and imitate things. This does not have to happen in a video, but can also be in everyday life, at home or at school. In the schoolyard, people dance or try to imitate the water bottle flip.
Certain challenges can give young users a strong sense of community and belonging. Through likes and comments, they give each other feedback and make contact with each other. Recognition and thrills are also reasons for young people to take part in challenges.
Challenges are an integral part of many social media communities and are also participated in by influencers. This encourages their young followers to join and follow the trend.
Not every challenge is harmless. There are also dangerous and risky challenges. This becomes a problem when young people are asked to imitate, unaware of the danger. Challenges that ask you to lose weight or eat things that aren’t meant to be eaten are just two examples.
“Meeting” like-minded people and the goal of proving something to themselves or getting attention are reasons why young people also get involved in dangerous challenges. So-called hoaxes are often behind these dangerous challenges. These are made up stories that are spread as a challenge. Children and young people are encouraged to engage in risky activities because something bad will supposedly happen otherwise. In the end, the hoax challenges themselves are dangerous. Read more about this in our article on chain letters.
Social media providers occasionally delete dangerous content, but that doesn’t stop other risky challenges from trending. On YouTube and TikTok it is forbidden to post such pranks and challenges. With TikTok, users receive a warning directly when supposedly risky challenge videos appear in the feed. There are also educational videos about it.
Keep an open mind about fun, harmless, or even helpful challenges. You may also want to take on such challenges together with the whole family.
When we see young people on their smartphones, we quickly get the thought: They stare too much at their displays and don’t really talk to each other anymore!
But maybe you’ve caught yourself pulling your phone out of your pocket way too often and letting it distract you.
If it’s already so difficult for us adults to keep track of our media time, how will our children manage? You can support your child with our tips while also keeping an eye on your own media time. It’s not about banning media. After all, they make many things in our everyday lives easier and fun to use. But too much screen time can also be harmful, for example because you don’t get enough exercise. Read our article “How much media time is good for my child?”.
Agree together on rules about media times. One good thing, for example, is that no smartphones are allowed at meals together. Of course, this does not only apply to the children! Since they always look to adult role models, you should set a good example. In some families, there is a shelf where each family member has a compartment for their own smartphone. It can be placed there during mealtime.
Together with your child, think about which media are used in which situations and why. Is this always useful or could you do something else that is better for you instead? Create a weekly schedule for you and your child to record media times. Does this seem like too much compared to other activities? Then you can consider alternatives together.
Depending on their age, you should agree with your child how much time a day or a week they can spend with media. In doing so, distinguish what media is used for. If your child understands the rules, it will be easier for him to keep such times.
If your child is younger, you can use marbles to help per agreed media time. For example, a ten-year-old boy has seven hours of media time per week and receives a marble for every 30 minutes. When the time is used up, a corresponding number of marbles are put away. An hourglass that ticks down during media time can also be an orientation.
There are apps that allow you to measure and regulate your screen time. For example, they are called StayFocused (for Android, free of charge) or AppBlock (free of charge for Android; from August 2021 also for iOS), Forest (free for Android, with ads and in-app purchases, for iOS €2.29 with in-app purchases) or Space (basic version free for Android and iOS). They record the use of the smartphone. You can use them to disable certain apps or “paralyze” the whole smartphone for a certain time. Apps like Forest and Space are more playful in that a tree grows or a galaxy builds up by not using the phone.
Many of these apps are funded by advertising, which can be annoying. Also, some apps require you to enter a lot of data to track smartphone behavior. It is not clear for all of them whether the data is also used for other purposes.
Many devices also allow you to control your own screen time or “digital well-being” via the“Settings”. You can see how long and what you spent your time on the smartphone. Timeouts can be scheduled or time limits can be set for certain apps. If you do not keep to this or if the time limit is reached, the corresponding note appears on the screen and the question whether you would like to add another 15 minutes, for example, or exceptionally select “No limit today”.
Even if these digital helpers can be easily deactivated, you can see how much time you spend with your smartphone and certain apps. This can help to rethink and change one’s own behavior with the smartphone. Perhaps you will turn it into a challenge together with your child!?
“I’ll stop right now – really!” Do you know this phrase from your child? Then it is certainly a big fan of computer or console games. Digital games are a popular leisure activity for many children and young people, where they can use and train their playful skills. But they also lead to conflicts when, for example, games want to be played that are not suitable for the age or are played for longer than agreed.
Computer games can promote certain competencies at different stages of life. For example, game apps can help preschoolers learn to use numbers and language. Older children and teenagers can use games to improve their problem-solving skills.
We have summarized the most important recommendations for you to avoid conflicts around gaming in the family.
Let them show you how a game works and what excites your child about it. You won’t always be able to relate to the fascination, but take your child’s enthusiasm seriously anyway. Remember to also have them show you game apps that run on the smartphone.
Watch your child play and ask about it. This way you can tell if it can tell reality from fiction and if it understands the content presented.
Play together sometimes too!
Don’t put too much trust in alleged customer reviews on online portals, as you can’t be sure if they are genuine. Better rely on reputable educational assessments and your own judgment. Try out games and decide if a game is suitable for your child with the help of educational ratings and USK classifications.
A link list with pedagogical evaluations of computer games can be found at Spieleratgeber NRW or spielbar.de.
Set times together when playing is allowed or agree on how much time a week your child can spend playing computer games. The length of play should be based on your experience with your own child. There are recommendations for different age groups, which you can read here.
What doesn’t work at all in gambling is to stop at a certain point. It is better if you agree to stop at the end of a level.
All rules should be easy for your child to understand.
More practical, clear tips are also available at Klicksafe.
Every child needs times when they can move around and experience things independently of the screen – the best way to do this is together with you!
You should not forbid playing because the child messed up or use playing as a reward. Because that only gives it a higher status.
Games – whether on the computer or elsewhere – are entertaining and fun for children, teenagers and adults alike. Hopefully, with our recommendations you will find a good way to deal with computer games in the family.
Remember how you used to suffer along with the main character of your favorite show when she experienced something terrible? Is it that the news anchor greets you at the same time every night and you greet back inside? In the case of your child, it may be the influencer who is visited on the smartphone shortly before bedtime to say “Good night! These are all examples of so-called “parasocial relationships” that each of us enters into.
Typical of this type of relationship is that they are always one-sided and the relationship remains imaginary. So it’s not like a parent-child relationship where both sides are active and you can give each other a hug. An emotional bond, such as with the series character or the favorite news anchor, is still there. In the past, this was mainly known from television, but today the Internet plays a major role – especially among children and young people.
Influencers often let their audience actively participate in their lives – via videos, Instagram stories or live chats, teenagers can be very close to their idol. Private information is also posted. For example, Bibi let her followers share the birth of her child. This apparent closeness often creates a sense of friendship on the part of their followers.
For adolescents in particular, such parasocial relationships are also helpful: especially during puberty, they can serve as role models in cases of insecurity. They can help to find and consolidate one’s own identity. And they can provide guidance, even on serious topics like first love that their children may be reluctant to discuss with their own parents.
However, care should be taken to ensure that children and young people do not take refuge in this media world and its characters and stop building “real” social relationships, because interaction with “real” people – family members and peers – is important for development.
A parasocial relationship is something totally normal. It is important that your child understands that these relationships are not a substitute for friendships. In addition, a critical look at your favorite social media stars should never be missing. This is where you as a parent come in – show interest in your children’s role models, and discuss the positives and negatives of these relationships. And if you find it hard to relate to your child’s parasocial relationship with an Internet star – remember your own youth and your own idols. How did you feel at that time?
Fortnite and Minecraft have long been among the most popular games among children and young people. Perhaps your child will also play one of these games with great enthusiasm. You can find out more about this and what you as a parent should keep in mind when playing these games in our descriptions of the games.
Besides the combat or survival modes, both games have also offered a creative mode for some time now.
Building huts, houses, cities and entire worlds has always been a central game principle in Minecraft. In Fortnite, on the other hand, players were previously able to build items, but they were used to gain advantages over fellow players in battle. Creativity was only a superficial issue, since all the buildings were lost after the end of the playing time.
In December 2018, the manufacturer of Fortnite released a new creative mode, through which players will have completely new opportunities in building.
In Fortnite’s new creative mode, you can build your own island together or with friends, without any time pressure. For this purpose, the players have at their disposal not only the materials and components, but also ready-made objects. These can be customized and combined as desired to create entire cities or landscapes. For example, there are objects in the categories of office, factory, disco and course. In the creative mode, the islands can be visited by friends, and depending on the setting of the teammates, can also be edited. What’s special about Fortnite’s creative mode is that you can not only create an island entirely according to your own ideas, but also customize the game rules. Thus, settings for the game mode or time limit can be specified, as well as the number of ammunition and resources. The game state or the construction progress is saved. Finally, you can play with friends in battle mode on the specially created island.
Minecraft ‘s creative mode focuses on creating extensive and artistic buildings. Unlike Fortnite, there are no pre-made objects here. Players create buildings or even complete cities from building blocks made of different materials. In creative mode, the materials are unlimited, the score is always saved. The simple blocks offer players the opportunity to freely create worlds according to their ideas. Minecraft is now also used in schools across subjects to promote creativity and imagination.
Both games thus offer players the chance to create and expand the virtual worlds in which they move with their characters and to exert greater influence on the course of the game. In creative mode, fighting is completely omitted, which makes the gameplay much more relaxed. When building a shared world with others, children can agree on rules in advance. This also promotes social behavior in the group. Players can help each other when they encounter problems with building.
If your child is a fan of Fortnite or Minecraft, ask what they like about the games and have them show you the game. Make your child aware of the creative mode if it is not already known. Through this, your child can perceive the game in a completely different way and become creative themselves.
Instead of leafing through an instruction manual, children and young people prefer to look for the right tutorial on the Internet. Such a cinematic instruction manual is not only available for the operation of devices, but also for very different areas of everyday life. There are recipe tutorials where people cook or bake in front of the camera. In other tutorials technical questions are solved. You can learn new languages or play an instrument with such videos and much more.
Tutorials have become known primarily through video platforms such as YouTube. Typical for these videos is that a person explains something to the audience – often by demonstrating it himself in the video.
The terms tutorial and explainer video are often used interchangeably. But there is an essential difference: In tutorials something is demonstrated, according to the motto: “How does something work?”. Typical are hair styling or dance tutorials. Explainer videos, on the other hand, are primarily about the question, “Why does something work this way?”
The helpful video instructions can be watched anytime and anywhere thanks to a smartphone or tablet. In step-by-step instructions, experts in a particular field explain a topic in an understandable way. The videos can be stopped and watched as often as you like, which is handy for a computer game, craft or beauty tutorial, for example. This way you can join in right away yourself and take the time you need by pausing for each step.
Often tutorials are made by influencers, famous YouTubers. Here, but also with lesser-known YouTubers, a relationship often develops between YouTuber and viewer during the tutorial, which loosens up the learning experience. The YouTuber talks around the tutorial about other things that pop into his head, digresses from the topic, and often addresses the viewers directly (“Hello, dear ones” or “You’re going to fold this sheet to the right” or “Here’s what we’re going to do”). This often happens in an entertaining way.
If your child enjoys watching tutorials on video platforms, try searching for videos together. There may also be helpful videos for learning or ideas for recreational activities, such as craft ideas or tricks with the scooter.
Ask to see what videos your child likes to watch and ask what fascinates him or her about them. There are many tutorials that seem to reflect typical role models: Female YouTubers make beauty tutorials, male YouTubers make tutorials on computer games, so-called Let’s Plays. This is a good occasion to talk about outdated role stereotypes.
You should realize that the creators of tutorials are not always real experts and you should check the videos and their content. The channel info usually tells you a bit more about the creators, so you can better assess the quality.
If something still doesn’t work after watching a tutorial, it’s not necessarily your child’s fault – the creator of the tutorial may have made a mistake.
Video platforms like YouTube should be shared first, as your child can quickly encounter scary or disturbing content here. For younger children, we recommend setting options such as “Restricted Mode” or the YouTube Kids app. If your child is aware of the risks online and you think he or she is aware of them, you should also give him or her the freedom to be online independently.
Teenagers in particular attach great importance to the opinions of their peers. This probably explains the popularity of an app like Tellonym. But in addition to appreciative and nice comments, their users can be anonymously insulted and insulted by others. If your child uses this app, you should be aware of its use and associated risks, such as cyberbullying.
“Tellonym is the most honest place on the Internet. Find out what your friends of you, answer anonymous questions, and ask others things you never dared to ask before! never dared before!”
This is the slogan with which the app Tellonym advertises for new users in the app stores. Tellonym is where you get anonymous feedback and ratings from friends and strangers. The app is especially attractive for teenagers.
Registration is done via your own phone number or e-mail address, whereupon you receive a link to forward to friends and acquaintances. They could then leave a comment on their own profile – even anonymously – without having to register separately. For the time being, comments are only visible to the person who receives them. If the user replies, the comment appears publicly in the user’s profile. In addition to positive comments such as compliments, there are also negative, so-called “tells” in which users insult or sexually harass other users.
To easily see what’s happening on other Tellonymer’s profiles, you can follow other users. This can also be done anonymously by clicking the “anonymous” button again within three seconds after clicking “Follow”. The follower count visibly adjusts anyway. It is also possible to connect your account with Instagram, X or Snapchat or to synchronize your account with your phone contacts. However, this is a major invasion of privacy, which is why we do not recommend activating this function for data protection reasons.
The age recommendation of the app varies depending on the provider (USK: 12 years, iTunes Play Store: 17+ years). According to the terms and conditions at Tellonym itself, if you are a minor, you need parental permission to register and must be at least 13 years old. However, if you register with the app, you only have to choose between “I am 16 or older” or “I am younger than 16”. If you indicate that you are under 16, parental consent is requested but not verified. As a parent, you can best assess whether your child is already comfortable with the app and its risks.
Most concerning is the risk of cyberbullying via the app. Since it is possible to write tells anonymously, i.e. under the protection of not being recognized, the inhibition threshold for some users to attack, insult or harass others with sexual comments is lowered.
Tellonym providers are aware of the problem of cyberbullying and provide parents with tips on how to protect themselves from attacks on their website. Thus, the reception of completely anonymous messages from non-registered users can be disabled. Certain words as well as senders of certain messages can be blocked. However, this is not 100% possible if the sender or senderess is not registered with Tellonym. Therefore, it is recommended to completely disable receiving anonymous messages from non-registered users. Messages can also be reported if they violate Tellomym ‘s TOS. According to its own statement, reported posts are checked and deleted if necessary.
In general, every message sent is supposed to pass through a filter – but how exactly this works remains unclear. Tellonym points out the difficulty of a good balance between censorship and protection.
Your child wants to use the app or is already an enthusiastic Tellonymer? Listen to him about the reasons he wants to use the app and whether he is aware of the possible risks. Especially if your child is younger than 16, you should get to know the app together with, look at the security settings and adjust them. You can find good and pictorial instructions on this at Klicksafe.
Talk to your child about what to do if he or she encounters cyberbullying or similar and receives unpleasant or abusive messages.
“Musical.ly is no more!” This message must have shocked many teenagers, especially female ones, among whom the app is particularly popular. But that’s not really true at all.
Chinese company Bytedance bought Musical.ly in December 2017. It was merged with its Chinese counterpart TikTok in early August 2018. So Musical.ly is not history, only its name is. Those who have updated will now find the app “TikTok including Musical .ly” on their smartphone instead of the pink Musical.ly logo.
Musical.ly was almost all about music – this basic function also remains. However, the name change is intended to create additional uses. Longer videos, other topics: Beauty, travel and sports are to be given greater consideration. In this way, the app wants to move away from the pure singing and dancing image.
Musical.ly has repeatedly come under heavy criticism. The ease of contact by strangers and the creation of fake accounts worried many parents. Bytedance wants to make the app safer in this respect: Offensive content and comments are to be detected and blocked more quickly by algorithms. The “Safety Center”, which can be accessed in the app, will also provide tips for parents and simplify privacy settings in the future.
Whether this will actually increase security for users is still very much in doubt. Regardless of strangers making contact, other risks remain.
Overall, merging the apps probably won’t change much for you as a parent. Continue to talk to your child about the risks that TikTok now holds.
