Disputes are part of child development. Children and young people learn how to deal with conflicts and find solutions. However, digital media can lead to arguments getting worse. Cyberbullying is affecting more and more children and young people. This makes it all the more important to raise your child’s awareness of respectful online behavior and to help them deal with online conflicts. In this article, we explain what you can do as a parent.
Cyberbullying means that people are insulted, exposed or threatened online, for example via apps such as TikTok, Snapchat, WhatsApp or Instagram.
There are different roles: the victims, the active bullies, but also the silent bystanders and assistants who join in. Many children and young people take on several of these roles, sometimes without realizing it. Cyberbullying can take many forms:
As digital content can be stored and redistributed, a single post can have long-term effects. Attackers can often hide behind their anonymity.
There are many reasons why children and young people bully others:
New technologies such as deepfake software have exacerbated cyberbullying. Young people sometimes use them out of curiosity or to deliberately expose others.
Bullying has been around since before the invention of the internet. But whereas in the past a child could come home after school and switch off, today children and young people are constantly connected to each other. Conflicts from school continue in class chats or on social media platforms. This is why cyberbullying can have serious consequences. Children who are bullied online often feel helpless and abandoned. In the long term, it can lead to anxiety, sleep disorders, depressive moods or even suicidal thoughts. Statistics show that almost half of young people have already experienced cyberbullying. According to the JIM Study 2024, 11% of young people have experienced cyberbullying directly in the last month.
When children and young people communicate with each other, there are always times when insults are used. This does not have to be bullying, but is often just a joke. They use it to test how far they can go. However, this limit is different for every child.
Parents can do a lot to ensure that their child communicates respectfully and is safer online:
Good prevention starts early. Parents should talk to their children about how to use the internet competently before they become active on social media. For primary school children, there are programs such as the learning offer Genial digital run by the Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk, which teach media skills in a fun way. The cyberbullying first aid app from klicksafe helps young people to deal with conflicts online.
Schools can also help by setting clear rules against (online) bullying and providing information. Parents can, for example, encourage teachers to integrate digital learning modules or videos from the Wake Up Initiative, including those from the FSM, into lessons.
If your child is affected by cyberbullying, you should remain calm and make it clear to them that it is not their fault. You can then take the following steps together:
Cyberbullying is a serious challenge for children and young people. However, parents can do a lot to empower their children, educate them and stand by them when problems arise. Make use of the support services, stay in contact with your child and advocate for a safe and respectful online world.
The annual Safer Internet Day, which is coordinated in Germany by the EU initiative klicksafe, will take place on February 11, 2025. Under the motto “No likes for lies! Recognize extremism, populism and deepfakes online”, children and young people are to be encouraged to deal critically with online content. On Elternguide.online we answer the most important questions on this topic.
Disinformation refers to the deliberate dissemination of false or misleading information with the aim of deceiving or manipulating people. The aim is to deliberately create a certain opinion or mood, for example against certain groups of people or political decisions. We explain everything about this topic in the article Fake news, conspiracies and disinformation – what does it actually mean? The text False information on the internet explains the background in plain language.
“Fake news” is invented or distorted news that relies on strong emotions to attract attention and spread quickly. They can distort public opinion and promote false beliefs. You can find out more about this in our parents’ guide article Fake news – dealing with disinformation and false reports on the internet.
Deepfakes are videos or audios that have been faked with the help of artificial intelligence. They look real even though they are not. People are shown as if they were saying or doing things that never actually happened. Deepfakes can be used to spread false information or make someone look bad. Read the article Deep fakes – deceptively real fakes to find out what you can watch out for as a parent.
Simple answers to difficult questions – conspiracy narratives are often behind this. These complex narratives explain events or situations with secret plans or powers. Such myths can quickly spread online, fuel mistrust of official bodies and lead to unreasonable behavior. You can find out more about this in our article Conspiracy myths on the internet.
Whether on social media, messengers or in online games – children and young people can come across extremist propaganda anywhere online. Extremist groups use the internet to spread their ideologies and recruit new followers. They often use manipulative content and misleading disinformation to achieve their goals. Our article Extremism online explains more about the background and how you can protect your child.
Some symbols, such as the swastika, are prohibited due to their association with unconstitutional organizations or ideologies. The dissemination of such symbols can contribute to the spread of extremist views and have consequences under criminal law. Our article Prohibited symbols on the internet sheds light on the dangers for children and where parents can get information.
The term dark social refers to the dissemination of content via private channels such as messenger services or emails that are not publicly visible. Such distribution channels make it more difficult to track disinformation and can increase its reach. If you would like to find out more, read the article Dark Social – the dark side of the internet.
Chatting, posting, liking – online communication is an important part of children and young people’s media use. However, it is associated with a number of challenges. Contact with strangers harbors risks such as hate speech, cybergrooming or sextortion. Conflicts are also possible among friends, for example through cyberbullying. Problems can arise in gaming through anonymous communication and trash talk. In our article, we explain how your family can deal with communication risks safely and confidently.
The ability to connect with others online and develop their own opinions is an important part of children and young people’s development. However, during the orientation phase, they can be susceptible to easy solutions and radical views from extremists. Keep talking to your child about their media use, keep an open mind and listen. Explain to your child why they should not trust all content on the internet. Show them how to critically question and check information and give your child access to age-appropriate news formats. There are numerous online resources and tools that can help to recognize disinformation and deal with communication risks. klicksafe, for example, offers materials and explanatory videos that are specially designed for young people.
“Just ask a chatbot!” – This could soon be the motto when it comes to searching for information or answering questions. ChatGPT, an AI-based chatbot, is becoming increasingly popular and is also being used more and more by children and young people. We provide an insight into the tool.
ChatGPT is a computer program that was developed using artificial intelligence (AI) to answer questions and create texts. It is based on huge amounts of data from various sources, such as books, news and conversations. Users can chat directly with the program – and in amazingly natural language. It can also be integrated into apps such as WhatsApp, making it even easier and more flexible to use.
The paid version of ChatGPT can also retrieve up-to-date information from the Internet. This function is particularly useful for answering questions about current events or trends. In the basic version, however, ChatGPT only has knowledge up to 2021, which can lead to outdated information.
A sample conversation
Question: Hey ChatGPT, I’m planning a birthday for my son. Can you help me?
ChatGPT: Sure! How old will your son be and what does he particularly like? Then we can collect ideas for games, decorations or food.
Question: He is nine and loves dinosaurs. Do you have any suggestions?
ChatGPT: How about a dinosaur treasure hunt in the garden? You can hide little dinosaur figures and draw a map. Dino-shaped cookies or muffins would also be a nice idea. Would you like me to find you a recipe?
Linus: Good idea! Can you give me any tips for invitations?
ChatGPT: Sure! You could make invitations in the shape of dinosaur tracks. On each track you write the details of the party and the kids can see it as a little adventure. Would you like me to make you a template?
ChatGPT is easily accessible, fast and versatile. It can write creative texts, answer complex questions and communicate in different languages. For many, it feels like they are writing to a real person. The ability to write creative texts, answer complex questions and communicate in different languages inspires many. ChatGPT can also promote creativity and language comprehension.
Children and young people use ChatGPT for example for:
According to OpenAI, children and young people should be protected as follows:
The provider also points out that users should be careful not to share personal data. It also points out that functions such as integration into apps should be used with caution.
Explain to your child that not everything the chat program says is true or correct. ChatGPT has been trained with texts, and therefore only knows what it has seen. It can make mistakes. Encourage your child to think critically by encouraging them to question ChatGPT’s answers. Make sure your child verifies the information they receive with other sources. It’s best to try this out together and explain to him how to deal with disinformation.
The chatbot can assist with school-related tasks. For example, he can describe something in simple words. ChatGPT should not do homework for your child. Explain to your child that ChatGPT is a tool and not a perfect source. ChatGPT cannot think.
Stay in conversation with your child and educate them about dangerous content online. The chatbot has also been trained with texts that may be inappropriate for your child. Work out boundaries and rules for use together.
Explain to your child that they have a right to security and data protection. You and your child should not submit any personal information. Encourage your child to let you know if there is a problem. Make sure your child understands how to protect his or her privacy.
Too old for the children’s program, but still too young for the social media world? There is a time when your child doesn’t really know his place. It’s somewhere between childhood and adolescence. This affects many of the so-called “pre-teens”, the approximately 9-12 year olds. They are in a transition phase, which is also reflected in their media usage.
For younger children, there are many age-appropriate offerings such as children’s apps, radio plays and children’s programs. As children get older, they are often no longer so interested in these – and turn directly to the adult world of media. The jump is quite big and the offer can still partly overwhelm your child.
At the onset of puberty, your child is on the cusp of becoming an adolescent. In some things it still behaves childlike, in others it already wants to separate itself from you. It is increasingly oriented to elders and to people, trends and ideas outside the family. As a result, there is less and less interest in children’s media.
During this phase, many children get their first smartphone and immerse themselves more and more independently in the world of online media. They have their first experiences in online games and on social media platforms. They follow stars such as influencers and streamers, interact with other users and develop their own identity. Pre-teens often lack an understanding of how to handle their own data or challenges such as communication risks online.
Whether your child still wants to watch children’s programs or is already interested in computer games, social media or TV shows for older children – support your child according to their stage of development and give them the time they need.
Gradually, you should relinquish control and support your child in being able to use media independently, safely and responsibly. Although your child has already gained some experience, he or she will still approach many things with an open mind, which means that they can easily come into contact with content that is harmful to minors online. Your child’s curiosity and desire to increasingly set themselves apart from adults will also lead them to seek out provocative content. Nevertheless, as parents, you still have an important role to play in providing guidance during the transition phase. Always talk to your child and ask about their media experiences.
Finding offers for pre-teens is not that easy and not every child will be interested. For computer games and films, there are age ratings from the Voluntary Self-Regulation Body. They indicate whether the content is unproblematic for development from a certain age. If you take a closer look, there are media offerings tailored to children in the transition phase both in traditional media and online.
Here are a few recommendations:
You should also allow your child to take advantage of offerings that are not specifically for children. Find out about programs and content in advance. When you watch a movie, play a game or surf the Internet together as a family, your child has the opportunity to ask questions and you can see how he or she copes with certain content.
“Games for eternity” – that is the motto of GOG.com. The multilingual games platform offers a huge selection of old and newer games. GOG. com is particularly popular with players who want to download and own games themselves.
GOG.com (formerly “Good Old Games”) is the digital distribution platform of the Polish developer studio CD Projekt. The game developer’s best-known titles include Cyberpunk2077 and The Witcher. The platform has been distributing games from its own studio since 2008 and offers a collection of hand-picked games. The platform is dedicated to preserving old computer games that are no longer compatible with modern systems due to a lack of responsible rights holders. Users can find large game titles as well as smaller games and retro classics here. Unlike other stores, the games on GOG.com are not tied to an account or copy-protected. Users can download the games they purchase and save them on their own device. Purchasing the games directly supports the developers.
GOG Galaxy not only allows users to buy and play games, but also to connect with friends online. The platform is reminiscent of comparable distribution platforms such as Steam and Epic Gamesa digital games library and a chat platform for players. Players create an account and collect the games they buy in their own digital library. The platform offers reliable customer support, secure purchases and a lively community.
GOG.com offers gamers not only brand new games, but also retro classics. This makes it possible for younger gamers to play the first versions of certain games. Games that are otherwise very difficult or impossible to buy are also available here. The platform offers DRM-free games. DRM stands for “Digital Rights Management” and protects games from being passed on and reproduced to third parties. DRM-free games can be downloaded without copy protection and installed and played on different computers at the same time.
A GOG account can be easily created with an e-mail address. GOG.com‘s terms of use stipulate that a minimum age of 16 years applies to the creation of an account and that under-18s require the consent of a parent or guardian. However, the age is not checked in detail: when registering, only a check mark has to be activated.
Although GOG Galaxy offers an impressive collection of games, its selection is limited compared to larger platforms such as Steam. This is partly due to the fact that not all developers and publishers are willing to offer their games without DRM.
GOG.com and GOG Galaxy offer game developers a free platform to bring their games to market. Each game has a 30-day return policy if the game does not work. GOG.com states that it does not store any data from user devices and does not share any personal data with third parties. Users can also delete all imported data from the GOG servers with a single click.
In the GOG Code of Conduct, GOG sets out guidelines for dealing with one another. The provider prohibits misconduct such as bullying or harassment and threatens consequences such as blocking the user’s account. Users can report misconduct by other users by contacting GOG staff or GOG community moderators.
Age checks are not carried out at GOG.com and GOG Galaxy, so children under the age of 16 can easily create an account on GOG.com. Discuss the rules for creating your own (gaming) accounts with your child and make your child aware of data protection and the protection of privacy online.
When selecting games, pay attention to the USK age ratings and only give your child access to age-appropriate games. GOG.com provides information on the age ratings of individual games. Nevertheless, games are also sold that do not (yet) have an age rating from the USK.
As the playing time cannot be restricted via the gaming platform, use the setting options on the PC for screen time if necessary. Technical youth media protection is not a substitute for media education, but can only support it. Stay interested and talk to your child about their favorite games and their gaming and interaction experiences. Explain the risks, such as how to deal with contact with strangers. Agree on rules for dealing with games in the family that all family members adhere to.
Digital media enrich our everyday lives in many different ways: Music programs at the breakfast table, navigation apps on the go or chats for organizing leisure activities. (Screen) devices help us to learn, to work and are often fun. No wonder they have become an integral part of our everyday lives, whether at home or in public spaces.
However, with the growing importance of media, the ability to use them responsibly and competently is also becoming increasingly important. Today, media literacy is just as essential as reading, writing or arithmetic in order to be able to navigate the modern world safely and successfully. Anyone who does not know how to use media in a targeted and considered way can quickly run into difficulties. But what exactly does media literacy mean?
Being media literate means more than just being able to operate a device. Although this is part of it, at its core it is about the conscious and responsible use of content. This includes the following aspects:
Those who are media literate know why and how they use media, can recognize negative effects and counteract them, while positive aspects are specifically promoted.
The call for “more media literacy” is often directed at children and young people. This is understandable, as they will shape the world of tomorrow. We may not know this world yet, but it will be heavily influenced by media, especially the internet.
You can imagine the internet as a city: There are playgrounds and nice stores, but also traffic and strangers. Parents don’t just send their young children off on their own, they accompany them, explain the rules and show them what to look out for. This is exactly how it should be on the Internet. Accompany your child as they explore the digital world.
Developing media literacy is a joint task from the very beginning – in the family, at nursery and at school. The younger the child, the more responsibility parents have and the more they act as role models. As they get older, children and young people can and should be allowed to have their own experiences – including with their own devices. Common rules and an open discussion are helpful here.
Media literacy is not a “children’s game”, it is just as important for adults! Parents who want to help their children use media responsibly need to be media literate themselves. Only those who understand digital technologies and platforms can provide guidance and act as role models. You should therefore actively engage with digital topics – through joint projects with your children, exchanges with other parents or further training courses in schools and education centers. Teachers are also called upon to strengthen their own media skills in order to pass on this knowledge. Helpful information can be found, for example, in ARD programs such as “Gemeinsam Medienkompetenz stärken“.
In addition, working people and older people also benefit from better media skills. Professional development and digital work processes often require new skills. For senior citizens, media offer numerous opportunities, such as contact with grandchildren via video chats. If you want to test your own media skills, you can find out with a self-test.
Minecraft is a kind of Lego for computers, games consoles or mobile devices in which players create their own world from virtual blocks with a great deal of creativity and skill.
The world in Minecraft consists of cubes and blocks that are always the same size. It is created anew each time according to the principle of the sandbox game and therefore always looks different. The cubes can be made of different materials such as wood or earth. The cubes are used differently depending on the game mode: In creative mode, players combine the cubes and build houses, models or even functioning computers. The materials used do not have to be collected, they are directly available to the players and can be used an infinite number of times. This allows them to create their very own world, which they can design creatively and change constantly. This function is now even used by schools for learning purposes, as Minecraft promotes children’s spatial thinking and creativity. The creative mode is also used in computer science lessons, for example as an introduction to programming. In survival mode, players have to use the materials and tools to fight monsters and hide in the self-built hut at night. The big difference to creative mode is that you have to collect the materials yourself and also manage a hunger bar and life bar. All objects and items that cannot be collected, such as chests, swords, doors, ovens, etc., must first be crafted at a so-called “crafting table”. The level of difficulty can be adjusted between “peaceful”, “easy”, “normal” and “difficult” depending on the age group.
Despite the simple graphics, which only consist of large pixels, Minecraft is very popular with children. Minecraft sets no limits to creativity. Players can create their very own virtual world and are excited about constructing landscapes and buildings and acquiring the raw materials they need. Playing with other players is particularly challenging in terms of competition and strategy, but creating worlds together can also be a lot of fun and requires coordination. Minecraft players from all over the world come together on online servers to experience different games and adventures together. The most popular modes include Bedwars, Oneblock, Skywars, Build Battle, Murder Mystery and Parkour. Depending on the game mode, special settings and rules apply for the interaction, which is varied and exciting for children and young people.
Minecraft brings together a large community and offers many opportunities for Let’s Play videos on YouTube and live streams on Twitch. Children and young people watch their favorite streamers, learn tips and tricks, exchange ideas with others or post content online themselves. This allows them to experience Minecraft in a different way without playing it themselves.
Minecraft is released by the USK from the age of six. How well children cope with the game depends, among other things, on the selected game mode: while the creative and adventure modes are easy to handle, survival and hardcore modes are more focused on defense and survival. Here, there are obstacles to overcome, such as encounters with monsters, which brings a certain amount of tension. As the game does not set its own limits, e.g. through different levels, it tempts you to play endlessly and lose yourself completely in the virtual world. The game’s controls can also be difficult for inexperienced players. Minecraft offers in-app purchases, e.g. via the Minecraft Marketplace. This is a platform where players can buy skins, mini-games and other content such as maps or resource packs like furniture, etc. Minecraft ‘s in-game currency is called “Minecoins”. PvP maps, in which players compete against each other in different game worlds according to the “player vs. player” principle, are a popular offer.
Such paid elements are appealing to kids and teens because they enhance the gaming experience.
Some paid offers are unsuitable for younger children, for example the “Scary Mods”, which are designed to make the game environment more exciting with creepy creatures, dark environments, scary noises and events.
Minecraft has been part of Microsoft since 2014. Auf der Webseite gibt es die Datenschutzerklärung und Nutzungsbedingungen auf Deutsch. Data is processed and used for product improvement and may also be shared.
The game is designed to encourage creativity and problem-solving skills. In Sweden (the country of origin of Minecraft developer Markus Persson), it is even on the curriculum. However, there are a few things you should keep in mind as a parent:
Younger children should be accompanied while playing in the beginning and should rather use the creative mode or easier difficulty levels of the survival mode. For older children, the hardcore mode may come into question later.
As always with media use, keep an eye on how much time your child spends playing. Make sure to adhere to set media use times and discuss together as a family which modes your child is allowed to play. Make sure the content is age-appropriate and control what content your child is allowed to purchase and use. Some offers on the “Marketplace” are not suitable for younger children. Players can communicate with each other in Minecraft using the chat function.
In the process, children are exposed to communication risks such as conflicts, cyberbullying, but also cybergrooming. Talk to your child about respectful interaction in the chat and encourage them to block and report inappropriate messages. This way, your child can protect themselves from harassment. Explain to your child that he or she should not disclose personal information such as name and address in the chat.
You can use the parental control function of a Microsoft account to restrict communication functions to friends only or deactivate them completely. Access to in-game purchases can also be controlled via the control function.
The game was tested for accessibility as part of the “Gaming without borders” project. According to the test results, Minecraft already does a lot right in terms of accessibility in the areas of understanding, controlling and hearing. The game is quite suitable for children and young people with impairments. However, some hurdles have been identified in the area of “vision”, which makes it difficult for people with visual impairments to use the game. However, Mojang as a development studio is also interested in this and is working on further expanding accessibility.
Just as the Highway Code lays down rules for safe traffic, the Youth Protection Act ensures that children and young people are protected in the media world. Especially in a digitalized society, it is more important than ever to offer young people guidance and protection.
The Youth Protection Act(JuSchG) regulates, among other things, how media must be designed today so that children and young people are not exposed to any dangers when using it. The comprehensively modernized version, which has been in force since May 2021, focuses more strongly on digital services. While previous versions focused primarily on so-called carrier media such as video cassettes and DVDs, CR-ROMs or audio carriers, the updated law also takes into account the challenges of the internet. Media providers must comply with this, otherwise they face penalties. However, this is not so easy because it is a German law and the Internet knows no national borders. However, if the providers of certain services are based in Germany, they must follow these rules. The EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which has provided uniform rules for digital service providers across Europe since the beginning of 2024, brings additional pressure.
The Youth Protection Act stipulates the age at which young people may have access to certain media – films, programs and online content. In doing so, it draws on the age ratings of the self-regulatory bodies. Providers are obliged to make default settings that protect children and young people in particular from interaction risks such as bullying, sexualized speech(cybergrooming), hate speech, tracking and cost traps.
Many online services and apps therefore have integrated parental control settings, for example TikTok and Instagram. They carry out precise checks on how old users are or even use video procedures to prove their identity. Nevertheless, it is difficult to implement this rule: It is almost impossible to find out for sure whether the answer is really correct by simply asking the user’s age.
The law also provides for reliable, uniform age ratings for games and films that are used online. In addition, the classification is no longer based solely on content, but also on possible interaction risks such as cybergrooming and cost traps.
Previously, the familiar age ratings of the USK and FSK only applied to games and films that were available on so-called carrier media (such as CD-ROMs or video cassettes). Online providers did not have to provide any age information.
Children and young people should be able to easily seek help and complain if they feel threatened or harassed while using media.
The new Federal Agency for the Protection of Children and Young People in the Media is to ensure that these regulations are actually enforced. Organizations such as the Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle Multimedia-Diensteanbieter e.V. have online complaints offices to which young media users and adults can turn to report illegal content or content harmful to minors.
Since 2024, there have also been new regulations throughout Europe for offers that are particularly aimed at children and young people:
Platforms must explain their terms and conditions (terms and conditions of use) in such a way that young users can also understand them well.
The long, hard-to-read texts that are often carelessly clicked away when registering must therefore be replaced by new, comprehensible texts. This should enable children and young people to really understand what they are getting into when they sign up.
Privacy, security and protection of minors should be improved: Providers of apps or programs should take measures to protect their users as well as possible from dangers such as fraud, bullying or hate speech.
Unfortunately, the exact measures have not yet been defined and there are few exemplary solutions. However, the European Commission can issue guidelines to support providers in implementing the precautionary measures.
On platforms such as Tiktok or Instagram, young users create profiles that also contain private information. According to current regulations, however, children and young people may no longer be shown personalized advertising based on this information.
The platform operators must also conscientiously ask the age of the users for this – because children and young people are even less able to see through the fact that personalized advertising is being targeted at them, which is why they need even greater protection than adults.
The repeated revisions of the Youth Protection Act are important in order to adapt legal regulations to the media reality of children and young people. The law can be an important guide for you as parents and offers protection to a certain extent. At least if the providers comply with the obligations set out in the law. Unfortunately, it cannot be ensured that this is always the case. In addition, a frame does not fit each child individually. That is why you should accompany your child very closely in his or her media use, especially in the younger years. The older your child gets, the more freedom they need. Always stay in touch about his media use. This is the only way you can help if, despite protective measures, it has unpleasant experiences on the net or does not understand something.
The smell of cookies, shopping stress, shining children’s eyes: the holidays are approaching and digital devices and games are on the wish lists of many children and young people. What should parents consider before and after giving a gift? Between the years and during the vacations, there is also time for shared family media experiences. How can this be designed in a safe, age-appropriate and even creative way? In this article, we give you an overview of offers from the Elternguide.online partner network.
The Christmas vacations can be long, especially when the weather outside doesn’t really invite you to play. You probably have devices such as smartphones, tablets, cameras or a laptop lying around at home. How about you and your child simply getting started, taking photos or filming yourselves, trying out new creative apps and actively organizing media time? It’s great fun and your child will also learn something about media skills.
On the website kinder.jff.de there are suggestions for simple media projects that children aged 6 and over can do on their own or from the age of 3 with support from you as parents at home. This is helped by child-friendly video instructions in which the implementation of the media projects is shown step by step. How about a photo memory with Christmas tree decorations or an audio story about Christmas traditions?
For young photo fans between the ages of 8 and 12, the knipsclub offers a safe environment in which they can try out their skills in a closed and pedagogically supervised photo community and exchange photos with each other. On the website you will find creative photo tips, for example on painting with light. A real eye-catcher, especially on New Year’s Eve!
You are probably familiar with challenges from social media, e.g. dance challenges on TikTok. Children and young people love to take on challenges. Challenges don’t necessarily only have to take place on the Internet, you can also play them at home with your family! Why not try out the top photo challenge, the clip challenge or the re-enactment challenge? We have made a few suggestions in our parents’ guide article. You can find more Advent challenges on the website of the JFF project webhelm.de.
Children have many questions and learn early on that their questions will be answered on the Internet. How is Christmas celebrated in other countries? What craft tips and baking recipes are there for Christmas? The children’s search engine fragFINN offers children access to 3,500 verified websites, including around 400 children’s sites. Primary school children can gain their first Internet experience here in a protected surfing room and learn how to use search engines and search results. In the fragFINN Advent calendar, children can open a little door every day, behind which there are links to other children’s sites with a wide range of information and offers suitable for the winter season.
You can find more playful learning pages in this parents’ guide article.
Your child will probably also enjoy watching videos. If you are still looking for suitable films, series or YouTube clips, take a look at FLIMMO and have a look.
In addition to age information and educational recommendations for all formats from TV, streaming, YouTube, TikTok and Instagram, you will find winter movie tips from the Grüffelokind to the Grinch and the Polar Express under the special “Highlights in Advent”. A TV evening together can be a really nice family experience, especially when it’s as cold and dark outside as it is during the winter vacations. In this article, FLIMMO explains what you need to bear in mind when adding media to your wish list.
Parents must decide individually when their child is ready for their first smartphone, depending on their level of development and experience. After all, a smartphone theoretically opens up the whole world of the Internet to your child, with all its opportunities and risks. klicksafe offers extensive information for parents. Use the smartphone readiness checklist to see whether a smartphone is ready for the Christmas tree. Has the decision been positive? Then find out about technical setting options for Android and iOS and watch the instructions in the form of explanatory videos. You can find all information material from klicksafe in this topic special.
Would you like to prepare your child for the first smartphone under the Christmas tree? Child-friendly information on the first smartphone is available in the children’s magazine Genial Digital from the Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk. The fragFINN app gives your child a protected surfing space on their first smartphone and gives them access to quality, positive content.
Are you considering buying a smartwatch as an alternative? Then take a look at this topic from klicksafe. Please note: technical protective measures are no substitute for family discussions and media rules. Stay in contact with your child and accompany them as they take their first steps with a smartwatch or smartphone.
In addition to discussions and media rules, technical youth media protection is an important component of media education. Use the settings for screen time and Digital Wellbeing settings on smartphones to set time limits for the entire device or for different apps and to filter content. The youth protection program JusProg offers a precise filter option for websites and safe default settings for mobile devices and laptops. Google Family Links and YouTube Kids offer in the world of the internet giant Google offer the opportunity to make media experiences safer for your child. Social media apps such as Instagram and TikTok also offer safety features and options for parental guidance. Streaming with the family can be a fun activity during the vacations. Almost all streaming services have certified offers for the protection of minors. Use your own child profiles and the parental control function with the PIN. Many of the youth protection programs have been approved by the expert commission of the Voluntary Self-Regulation of Multimedia Service Providers (FSM). You can find out more about technical solutions for the protection of minors in the media on the FSM website.
Detailed instructions for all devices can be found on the website medien-kindersicher.de.
Which games should I give my child for Christmas? Are games okay for preschoolers? In the family section of the USK website and via the USK brochures, you will find all the information you need on the USK’s age ratings, the additional information and how to deal with the subject of games in the family.
The USK mark indicates the age at which a game does not cause any developmental impairments. The additional information such as “fantasy violence” or “pressure to act” gives parents a good indication of whether a game is suitable for their own child. Educational assessments of games can be found at the NRW games guide. Descriptions of popular games like Fortnite, Minecraft or Roblox are available on Elternguide.online. The USK lexicon explains the most important terms, devices and genres.
Would you like to make your child happy with a game for Christmas? Find out about the distribution channels for games and technical precautionary measures. Various settings for the protection of minors can be made on consoles as well as in game stores and the games themselves. Play together with your child and ask them interesting questions about their favorite games.
The team at Elternguide.online wishes you and your family a wonderful Christmas season and lots of fun using media safely and creatively!
What words did you use when you were younger – and what did your parents think? Think about it. Because it is perfectly normal that sometimes you do not understand your child because he uses words that you do not know or understand.
Our language is shaped by the adult world. Adolescents have a strong need to form their own identity, to become independent and to distinguish themselves from adults. This is also expressed in the so-called youth language with which they create their own world. With their own language, or at least their own terms, they create something of their own and typical of youth. This connects and creates self-confidence. Using the “outdated” slang of the parents would sound old-fashioned and uncool.
In each new generation, in certain youth scenes and even in different places, youth language changes and there are different words and expressions. Typically, young people speak more easily than adults. In doing so, they sometimes use unusual or unfamiliar terms. The language is less “correct” because young people speak more spontaneously. Instead, it transports much more feelings and moods.
Online communication also has a strong influence on how young people speak or write. In messenger chat, for example, emojis and stickers are used. The language is significantly abbreviated and often incorrect. Terms from the gaming and rap scene, from influencers and, above all, from the English language that dominates the internet are used. Many terms are reflected in hashtags, such as #staywoke for the visibility of social inequality. Which language young people use depends on where they are on the Internet and which trend is currently in vogue. In this way, they show which youth culture they feel they belong to and which media role models they emulate.
Check out your knowledge around your child’s language. The following words will be particularly popular in 2024. At the end of the post you will find the resolution.
So there is no serious reason to worry if you sometimes do not understand your child. Respect the desire for boundaries and generally be understanding if your child uses different words than you do. But that doesn’t mean you have to let him tell you everything. Especially if the language is indecent, hurtful or offensive. Tell your child. Make it clear to them why they should not speak to others in the same way and, if necessary, agree on rules for dealing with each other. The use of youth language can also be problematic in online communication, for example in trash talk in online games or cyberbullying. Talk to your child about respectful behavior online. The same rules that apply offline for fair and respectful interaction should also be observed online: Fairness, openness and respect.
You are and will always be the adult your child wants to be different from. Therefore, do not try to approach linguistically. This is more likely to be perceived by your child as an invasion of his or her privacy. Speak the way you always do. Nevertheless, you can occasionally enjoy your child’s imaginative word creations and ask if you don’t understand something!
Solutions:
On the HanisauLand.de internet portal, children between the ages of 8 and 14 are introduced to the world of politics in an age-appropriate and playful way. They can share and discuss their opinions in a moderated participation area.
There is a lot for children to discover in HanisauLand and they also learn about democracy through play: In the comic series, rabbits, hippos and sows build a democracy together – HanisauLand. There are lots of games and quizzes as well as book and movie tips for children to browse through. In the “Calendar” section, important political and historical events are presented alongside famous personalities. In the “Special” section, topics from politics, history, togetherness and religions are taken up and presented in a vivid way.
Children can also participate in many areas and help shape HanisauLand: In the lexicon, not only are political terms explained for children, but children can also submit unknown terms and questions. In the “Your opinion” section, children can discuss children’s rights topics such as “cell phone ban in schools” or “voting rights for young people”. They receive background information and are then invited to contribute their opinions and discuss them together. They can also contact the editorial team with their concerns and questions under “Post”.
No e-mail address is required to participate, a fantasy name is sufficient. All contributions will be checked by the editorial team before publication, personal data or insults and abuse will be deleted.
HanisauLand is a great way for children to learn more about living together in a democracy and about rules on the Internet. Even the legal notice and privacy policy are formulated in a special version for children.
The editors of HanisauLand create and check all content for children aged 8 to 14. If links from the website lead to other pages, children are made aware of this and must confirm once again that they wish to leave the website. Nevertheless, it is important, especially with younger children, that you accompany your child, particularly when using the site for the first time. Make sure that your child can only access age-appropriate content. Setting options on the device or in apps also help here. Also make sure that the agreed media usage times with your child are adhered to and stay in contact with your child.
This article is part of the “Parents’ tips on children’s participation platforms” project, which is part of the “Child-friendly digital services and orientation measures” program of the Federal Agency for Child and Youth Protection in the Media (BzKJ) and realised by JFF – Institute for Media Education in Research and Practice and the German Association for Voluntary Self-Regulation of Digital Media Service Providers (FSM e.V.).
Time to BRAWL! Cool characters, exciting matches, jewels and trophies – that’s the colorful game world of Brawl Stars. We present the popular mobile app.
Brawl Stars is a mobile battle arena game for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, developed by Finnish game provider Supercell. It is based on the “free-to-play” model and is basically free of charge. In the game, you fight either alone or in teams of two or three against friends or other players. A round of the game lasts only a few minutes.
The players control characters, so-called “Brawlers”. Each Brawler has their own abilities and play styles. The aim is to defeat opponents and other teams, collect gems or complete certain tasks. Over the course of the game, new Brawlers can be unlocked, their skills improved and their appearance customized with skins and accessories. These extras can be purchased with the in-game coins earned or obtained through rewards. Real money can be used to buy in-game coins and thus achieve faster progress in the game. The colorful and vibrant graphics and simple controls make the game accessible and entertaining for players of all ages. Brawl Stars also features regular updates, events and an active community that keeps the game fresh and engaging.
Free game apps are interesting for many children and young people as they promise free fun. Playing together as a team and competing against other players is particularly exciting and fun. The rounds are entertaining and you can progress quickly. The look of the game is also impressive: Everything in the game is colorfully designed in cartoon graphics and the brawlers look funny. Winning a round earns you rewards. The game features loot boxes (surprise boxes) with a star symbol – also known as “Starrdrops”. Whoever opens the Starrdrops receives random rewards such as new skins, sprays, accessories, coins, jewels or new brawlers. The surprise effect and the prospect of stronger characters can quickly motivate children and young people to keep playing to get more Starrdrops and become more and more “powerful” for duels.
The short game rounds and regular rewards make the game attractive and tempt you to keep playing. Brawl Stars is played in teams. Players can create and join clubs.
Your child may come into contact with strangers who, in the worst case, are not who they say they are. Following random game rounds, your child can receive friend requests from players. There is a risk of cyberbullying and cybergrooming here.
For the chance to get rare brawlers or new coins, your child may be tempted to spend real money on in-game items and loot boxes. These purchases make it possible to equip their favorite Brawler with better abilities. There is also the option to purchase so-called “Brawl Passes”, which offer significantly more rewards and faster game progress. The game provider earns a lot of money with such mechanisms.
There is a guide for parents on the official website of the provider Supercell. Among other things, it refers to existing in-app purchases in the game and explains how parents can manage and, if necessary, disable them. Supercell states that it does not pass on personal data to third parties for commercial purposes or in any other way. The provider has created a “blacklist” for safe chatting. This allows certain terms to be quickly and automatically removed from chats. Chat messages can be muted and are then no longer displayed.
The best way to start is to discover the game together. Play together with your child to understand your child’s enthusiasm for the game.
Be wary of third-party vendors offering Brawl Stars enhancements such as free jewels. Here, personal information and/or money are often demanded without delivering the promised product.
On the children’s portal Frieden-fragen.de, questions about war, conflict, violence and peace are explained in a child-friendly way. Children can find age-appropriate information and individual answers to their questions. This enables a sensitive approach to difficult topics.
War and peace, conflict and violence – these are topics that even younger children are concerned with. They often have many questions that are not so easy to answer. At Frieden-fragen.de, children’s questions are answered individually. The answers are sent to the children by e-mail (if specified) or published on the website. Answers to many questions asked by children can also be found on the website.
The Berghof Foundation / Friedenspädagogik Tübingen project also tackles difficult questions. Frieden-fragen.de describes its approach as being “based on the fundamental values of peace, justice and non-violence and the state of the art. Differences and controversies in politics and society are named and made visible.” The aim is to make connections recognizable and to provide children with knowledge about the background and coexistence of people and states.
In addition to the question portal and factual information, children will find various areas to browse through. There are stories from children and adults from all over the world to discover as well as pictures and videos to watch. The characters Sakina, Cody and Frieda accompany children through the site. Many difficult terms are explained in a child-friendly way in the lexicon.
The website also offers various hands-on activities for children.
There are suggestions on how children can make their own contribution to peaceful coexistence, e.g. they can use the peace machine peace messages for classmates.
Teachers can find further background information and teaching materials in the adult section.
The service provides information on wars in a sensitive and age-appropriate way. Nevertheless, topics relating to war and conflict can overwhelm, frighten or unsettle children. Many children have heard about current wars on social media, on television, in class or in the playground. Some are affected by the topic themselves, e.g. through relatives or their own experience of flight. Take your child’s concerns about these issues seriously and help them to find answers to their questions. You know your child best and can assess which media content they can cope with. It is best to take a look at the Frieden-fragen.de website together. Then you will immediately notice how your child reacts to the content and can support your child accordingly. Read more about war in the media or news for children and young people here.
Dieser Artikel ist Teil des Projekts „Eltern-Inspos zu Kinder-Partizipationsplattformen“, das im Rahmen des Förderprogramms „Kindgerechte digitale Angebote und Maßnahmen zur Orientierung“ der Bundeszentrale für Kinder- und Jugendmedienschutz (BzKJ) gefördert und in Zusammenarbeit von JFF – Institut für Medienpädagogik in Forschung und Praxis und der Freiwilligen Selbstkontrolle Multimedia-Diensteanbieter (FSM e.V.) umgesetzt wird.
Chatting via messenger, playing computer games together or taking part in social media trends – media enable us to be in contact with others.
Children and young people face many challenges when communicating online.
On Elternguide.online, we explain how you and your family can deal safely and competently with communication risks online.
When we write messages via Messenger, we don’t just use letters, we also like to use emojis. However, care should be taken to avoid misunderstandings. Chatting, posting and gaming is fun.
However, being constantly available can overwhelm children and young people, lead to digital stress and the fear of missing out(FOMO).
Be aware of your role model function and, if necessary, make technical adjustments together to regulate media use.
Whether through online gaming, video chats or social media – it’s easy to meet new people on the internet.
Contact with strangers can be risky because we don’t know the person’s intentions and don’t know who is actually communicating with us. Is it really the same age gamer friend? When perpetrators write to children or young people to initiate sexual contact, this is known as cybergrooming.
If supposedly private images such as nude photos are used to blackmail someone, this is called sextortion.
Both are serious risks that you can minimize if you accompany your child online and inform them about the risks in an age-appropriate manner.
You can find out how to protect your child from sexual violence online here.
Sometimes communication with friends and acquaintances can also become problematic. Among young people, there is a risk of cyberbullying, for example, via chat groups. It is helpful if rules are agreed on how to deal with messenger chats. Discuss this with other parents and your child’s teachers.
Talk to your child about how they should deal with insults and nasty comments and make them aware of reporting points.
The internet is not always a friendly place.
Trolls and haters launch attacks under the guise of anonymity and deliberately provoke people in comment columns.
Online hate speech can spoil the fun of posting videos and photos online. Thinking carefully about what you post or share is the first step to a safe browsing experience. Forming their own opinion is one of the developmental tasks of children and young people.
During the orientation phase, they can be susceptible to simple answers and radical positions from extremists. Whether in forums, chats or online games – children and young people can come across extreme opinions and conspiracy myths anywhere online.
Make it clear to your child why they should not trust all content online.
Show your child how they can check information and familiarize them with the various reporting points on the internet.
Many gamers play games together, even if they are sitting in different places.
When gaming, communication takes place via a headset or the chat function within a game.
It is not always clear who is talking to you on the other end.
If possible, players should block other people’s contacts.
Gamers sometimes use harsh language, known as trash talk.
If insults and conflicts escalate, this can lead to hatred among gamers.
Keep in touch with your child about their favorite games and use technical youth media protection solutions. You can find out more about communication risks and how you can deal with them in these articles:
“Hang on, I need to post on BeReal for a minute!” – Many families are familiar with statements like this.
The BeReal app was the seventh most popular social media app among young Germans in 2023.
Authenticity is a top priority here, which is why the service scores points with its unusual concept: spontaneous snapshots from everyday life instead of staged pictures and videos.
We explain the concept behind it.
BeReal translates as “Be real!”. Users are prompted to take a photo once a day by the app via a push message. The random time varies from day to day and is sent to all users at the same time.
Within two minutes, a photo must be taken with the front and rear cameras at the same time and published. Pictures from the photo gallery cannot be uploaded. The two photos are displayed as picture-in-picture. The photos of friends can then also be viewed. The posted photos are automatically deleted from the feed after 24 hours and are saved under Memories for private viewing only. If uploaded on time, you can share up to five additional snapshots per day.
In addition to the daily prompt, you can record videos in “Behind the Scenes” mode, which show what happens before or after the actual photo. There is also the option to add music to the BeReals. The RealChat function allows friends to chat directly with each other and connect with several friends in up to two RealGroups.
There are no filters or image editing in the app and your follower count is not publicly visible. You can react to other people’s posts with emojis or so-called RealMojis, which are grimaces that you create yourself. Public photos can be seen at any time. Friends can be found and added via synchronization with your own contacts or by searching for user names. Profiles from the public feed can also be added.
New apps are particularly interesting for young users if they offer something out of the ordinary. In times of superficiality and image editing on social networks, BeReal stands out with its concept of spontaneity and authenticity. The tension increases because the push message with the request to take a snapshot can come at any time. A photo must then be taken spontaneously and under time pressure – without preparation or many attempts, without filters or image editing.
Connecting with brands and celebrities via the RealBrands and RealPeople categories and participating in their “real” lives as a RealFan is fun for young people and makes them feel connected to their role models.
Complying with the app’s requests can be challenging, for example because young people actually want to concentrate on their homework or can’t get their smartphone out at school. For some, the pressure exerted by the push message can be unpleasant or lead to impulsive photos being taken and published in private situations. There can also be social pressure to share particularly interesting pictures on the platform without filters and edits.
BeReal collects personal data such as name and telephone number and stores the IP address. If access to the address book is permitted, the app also receives data from people who do not use BeReal. There is also a risk that photos of other people who appear unintentionally in the picture will end up in the public feed. Photos can also be screenshotted and shared by others without being noticed.
According to the terms of use, BeReal is permitted from the age of 13. If an age between 13 and 15 is specified when registering, the app indicates that parental consent is required. This is because, due to the GDPR, use without parental consent is only possible from the age of 16. However, this can be easily circumvented.
The app was sold to the French game developer Voodoo in 2024. Further features could change, advertising has already been integrated. BeReal has community guidelines and prohibits harassment, violence and bullying, for example. Violations can be reported directly in the app.
If your child is interested in the app, you should also take a closer look at BeReal – preferably together. Talk to your child about the potential communication risks associated with using the app and keep in touch about your child’s experience of using it. Agree beforehand which photos may be published there, so that your child can react consciously in the pressure situation.
The app accesses many functions of the smartphone, some of which are unfounded, such as microphone and location. Check the app permissions immediately after registration and consider together with your child which accesses are necessary and useful. It is best to set the account to private in the privacy settings so that only people in the friends list can see the posted pictures. Discuss with your child that they should only add people they actually know as friends. You can find instructions on other BeReal security settings on the website medien-kindersicher.de.
