Egal ob witzige Tierbilder mit Sprechblasen, verfremdete Pressefotos oder neu interpretierte Szenen aus Filmen und Serien – Memes sind heutzutage überall im Internet zu finden. Memes werden durch das Teilen in sozialen Netzwerken schnell sehr bekannt und sind auch bei Kindern und Jugendlichen beliebt. Sie spiegeln Humor und Gruppenzugehörigkeit wider, können aber auch problematische Inhalte transportieren und verbreiten.
Ein Bild, ein Video oder ein Filmausschnitt wird dann zum Meme, wenn es aus seinem ursprünglichen Kontext gerissen und mit einem neuen, oft humorvollen Text versehen wird. Besonders lustig sind Memes, wenn man das Original kennt – denn der Witz entsteht meist aus der überraschenden Kombination von Bekanntem und Neuem. Der Text ist dabei häufig ironisch gemeint.
Hinter Memes steckt oft eine kreative Idee, die immer wieder neu interpretiert wird und sich stetig weiterentwickelt. Memes werden auch genutzt, um Gefühle zu zeigen oder auf aktuelle politische und gesellschaftliche Themen aufmerksam zu machen. Berühmte Persönlichkeiten wie Goethe oder Napoleon oder Figuren aus Filmen und Comics bekommen neue, zeitgemäße Aussagen in den Mund gelegt. So wird aktueller Bezug zur heutigen Wirklichkeit hergestellt.
Das Besondere an Memes ist, dass dieselben Bilder immer wieder verwendet und mit einem neuen Text versehen werden. Ein bekanntes Beispiel ist „Hide the Pain Harold“ (Deutsch: „Verbirg den Schmerz, Harold“), das diesem Artikel als Beitragsbild dient. Dieses Meme zeigt den Ungarn Arató András mit einem gequälten Lächeln und wurde zu einem der bekanntesten Reaktionsbilder im Internet.
Es gibt verschiedene Meme-Formate: Ein klassisches Beispiel ist ein Bild mit einem witzigen Spruch in großer, weißer Schrift. Andere Memes bestehen aus Screenshots von Chats, Comic-Zeichnungen oder kurzen Videoclips. Viele Memes folgen bestimmten Vorlagen oder Trends. Wer sich in der Meme-Welt auskennt, erkennt diese Muster sofort.
Für viele Jugendliche sind Memes weit mehr als bloße Unterhaltung – sie gehören fest zu ihrer (digitalen) Sprache. Mit Memes können sie Stimmungen, Gedanken oder Meinungen ausdrücken. Durch Ironie und Übertreibung lassen sich auch schwierige oder unangenehme Themen leichter ansprechen. Wer aktuelle Memes kennt oder selbst gestaltet, zeigt Zugehörigkeit zur eigenen Peer-Group.
Zudem fördern sie die Kreativität: Jugendliche probieren sich aus in Bildbearbeitung, Sprache und der Verbindung zu Trends in Social Media und Popkultur. Da Memes schnell erstellt und geteilt werden können, bieten sie eine einfache Möglichkeit, sich humorvoll und individuell mitzuteilen. Die visuelle Kommunikation ist ihnen ohnehin vertraut – Emojis, GIFs und Bilder ersetzen oft ganze Texte. Und da Kinder und Jugendliche gerne lachen und scherzen, treffen Memes genau ihre Vorlieben und verbreiten sich entsprechend schnell. Memes sind so beliebt, dass sie auch in der Offline-Welt präsent sind – zum Beispiel als Party-Kartenspiele oder Pausenhofgespräche.
Auch wenn viele Memes harmlos oder lustig wirken, können sie problematische Inhalte transportieren. Manche Memes enthalten diskriminierende, rassistische oder sexistische Aussagen, machen sich über Minderheiten lustig oder verbreiten Verschwörungstheorien und politische Propaganda. Extremistische Gruppen nutzen Memes, um ihre Ideologien zu verbreiten – gerade bei Jugendlichen, die oft nicht hinterfragen, welche Botschaft dahintersteckt.
Oft werden sie anonym erstellt und rasant weiterverbreitet – ohne Rücksicht auf Urheberrechte oder die abgebildeten Personen. Besonders kritisch wird es, wenn Menschen durch Memes bloßgestellt oder herabgewürdigt werden, etwa wegen eines sichtbaren Handicaps. Wenn sich solche Inhalte stark verbreiten, kann das für die betroffenen Personen große negative Folgen haben.
Sie müssen kein*e Meme-Expert*in sein, um Ihr Kind gut zu begleiten – ein grundlegendes Verständnis reicht aus, um im Gespräch zu bleiben. Zeigen Sie Interesse an der Mediennutzung Ihres Kindes. Fragen Sie ruhig nach: Welches Meme ist gerade angesagt? So entsteht ein offener Austausch – auch über problematische oder verletzende Inhalte.
Sprechen Sie mit Ihrem Kind über einen respektvollen Umgang miteinander im Netz, die Grenzen von Humor und mögliche Diskriminierung. Unterstützen Sie es dabei, Inhalte kritisch zu hinterfragen: Wer steckt hinter einem Meme? Welche Botschaft wird vermittelt? Welche Wirkung kann es auf andere haben? Gehen Sie dabei mit gutem Beispiel voran: reflektieren Sie Ihre eigene Online-Kommunikation kritisch und sprechen Sie mit gemeinsam mit Ihrem Kind über Ihre Erfahrungen.
Auch Menschen, die sich für eine wertschätzende Kommunikationskultur im Netz engagieren, nutzen Memes, um Hass und Extremismus etwas entgegenzusetzen – eine Sammlung solcher Memes finden Sie zum Beispiel auf dem Instagram-Profil von Gustaver der Liebe.
Wenn Sie und Ihr Kind gern Memes anschauen oder teilen, werfen Sie gemeinsam einen kritischen Blick auf die Inhalte. Oder gestalten Sie selbst kreative und lustige Memes, zum Beispiel mit dem Online-Tool Meme Generator von imgflip.com oder der App Mematic. Das macht Spaß und fördert die Medienkompetenz.
Imgflip
Building your own worlds from building blocks, slipping into imaginative roles and completing exciting missions – the online gaming platform Roblox is still very popular with young people. As it also includes chat functions and some people earn money with their games, Roblox combines gaming, social media and creative design on one platform – which is why it has been rated 16+ since January 2025.
The two words Robots and Blocks together make up the name of the Roblox gaming platform. Here you can create and play virtual worlds in Lego style, which is particularly popular with young people. Roblox is a mixture of game world and social network and is reminiscent of Minecraft.
After registering on roblox.com, players receive a pre-made game character (avatar) that they can customize as they wish. Clothes or a different hairstyle are free of charge. Some extra accessories cost money in the form of their own currency Robux. Functions such as creating games as well as playing games themselves are freely available.
Many young people love the game because they can easily develop their own games. Registered users can create their own games with the “Roblox Studio” building tool and share them with others. Simple structures can be designed, but also complex worlds of experience such as cities and amusement parks. In the Roblox community, young people can let off steam creatively and chat with each other.
Roblox is particularly popular with young game developers, as they can create and publish their own games there. If a game is played frequently by other users and money is invested, there is a chance that the developers – your child, for example – will also earn a share.
In January 2025, the Entertainment Software Self-Regulation Body(USK) raised the age rating for Roblox from 12 to 16. There were several key reasons for this decision:
In addition, the USK criticized the lack of effective precautionary measures on the part of the platform operators, such as insufficiently secured children’s accounts and the lack of age ratings in accordance with German standards. Due to these aspects, the age rating was adjusted to ensure the protection of minors and provide parents with better guidance.
The provider Roblox Corporation emphasizes on its platform that it takes security and data protection very seriously. There is a reporting system for inappropriate chat messages and a chat filter. After registration, an account is automatically created in “data protection mode” for users under the age of 13. Younger players will then not have access to the social media functions, for example. Some games are also only released from a certain age. Moderators check whether uploaded image and video material meets the requirements for youth-friendly content. Inappropriate content is actively filtered and deleted. However, all of this assumes that the player’s age has been truthfully stated when registering.
Roblox offers various safety functions that allow you to keep a better eye on your child’s play. Parents can find out more about parental controls on the Roblox website.
Roblox is repeatedly accused of not sufficiently moderating both the content and the communication between users and of not taking consistent enough action against violations of the community guidelines. For example, young people may come across discriminatory and extremist content in the games.
In principle, the state does not use age labels to specify which media content parents may allow their children to play at home. Nevertheless, you should make sure that you only provide your child with games that are suitable and approved for their age. You should therefore pay attention to the 16+ label.
If your child is under the age of 16 and already has a Roblox account, you are not obliged to delete the account due to the age upgrade. However, it is advisable that you look into the changed age rating and the reasons for it and decide whether the platform is still suitable for your child. If you do not want to ban use completely, you can, for example, check the account restrictions together and adjust them if necessary. Talk to your child about the age rating and why it has been adjusted. If you decide that your child should delete an existing Roblox account, also talk to them about this and explain your reasons. If you are already using a parental control program, depending on the settings, programs with an age rating of 16 and above may be automatically blocked.
Register and create a profile together with your child and discover the Roblox game world together. Talk to him about his gaming experiences. Let them show you what your child plays and ask why they like certain games and who they socialize with.
Set the account so that your child is shown games that are as age-appropriate as possible. Use a parent PIN so that only you can change the settings. Also keep an eye on the in-app purchases made. Advise your child not to disclose any private data via the platform. Educate your child about communication risks online and encourage them to block and report suspicious or unpleasant contacts. Chat options can be limited or even disabled and age visibility can be turned off. You can also find all important steps for parental control at Roblox on medien-kindersicher.de.
Apps, remote-controlled cars, vending machines – in our increasingly digital world, programming skills are a valuable skill. Age-appropriate apps and programs introduce children to coding in a playful way and encourage creativity, logical thinking and problem-solving skills.
ScratchScratch is an image-oriented, visual programming language and an online platform developed by the MIT Media Lab especially for children and young people aged 8 to 16. Children can use it to learn programming step by step in a fun way. With a simple drag-and-drop interface, they can create their own animations, games and interactive stories. The software is extremely appealing and gives your child the opportunity to create their own worlds. There is also a large online community where your child can share coding projects and be inspired by others. There is also an app version that can be used offline.
ScratchJrFor younger children (aged 5+) there is ScratchJr, which offers simple visual programming for first coding experiences. The app allows your child to create their own interactive stories and games by stringing together graphical program blocks to move characters and create actions such as jumping, dancing and singing. You can customize the characters and add your own voices and sounds. ScratchJr is easy to use and has a child-friendly design.
OctoStudioOctoStudio is an intuitive, block-based programming language that allows users to create interactive animations and games directly on their smartphone or tablet. The app was developed by the Lifelong Kindergarten Group of the MIT Media Lab and makes it possible to take photos and sounds and bring them to life with programming blocks. The use of device sensors is particularly noteworthy: projects can be controlled interactively by shaking, tilting or jumping. OctoStudio is ad-free, contains no in-app purchases and does not collect any user data. The app is available in more than 20 languages, including German, and can be downloaded free of charge from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.
Programming with the mouseThis website is aimed at children aged 8 and over and teaches programming basics in a fun way, inspired by “Die Sendung mit der Maus”. The popular TV character from the show awakens an interest in coding and accompanies your child through the program. The web application uses Scratch as a basis, but does not allow you to publish your own projects. “Programming with the Mouse” focuses on entertaining games and activities to impart knowledge in an appealing way. The platform offers structured instructions that guide children step by step through the world of programming. Successfully solving tasks boosts children’s self-confidence and is fun. The website promotes creative learning and makes programming accessible to children.
Ronja’s robotRonja’s Robot is an app for iOS and Android, developed by the Kinder Forschen foundation. It introduces children aged 6 to 12 to programming and robotics in a playful way. The app consists of two clever games: “Roberta rast”, in which your child learns programming concepts, and “Speak like Roberta”, which teaches the computer language binary code (from 1 and 0). For more advanced children, the graphical programming language OPEN Roberta offers the opportunity to delve deeper into the world of programming. Creative thinking is encouraged and your child can come up with their own solutions to tricky challenges. Your child can earn badges and rewards in the game and create coding projects together with other children as a team.
Your child may forget the time when programming. Set rules for screen time together with your child. Make sure your child socializes and spends time outdoors. There may also be occasional frustration when challenges arise. Support your child, encourage them – and learn something new yourself. There are also school and leisure activities where children can learn the programs. Use the fragFINN search engine for children to find offers in your area.
Instagram remains one of the most popular social media platforms, especially among young people. The app makes it possible to share photos and videos, create stories and interact with friends and influencers.
Instagram, or Insta for short, is more than just a picture platform. Above your own feed (accessible in the app via the house icon), there are stories and live streams from users you follow. These disappear after 24 hours, but can be saved as a highlight by the person who posted the story. The feed also shows new photos and videos from subscribed channels and people.
Users can find a wide variety of content on Insta: Posts from stars, brands and challenges through to personal profiles of friends. They can react to them with likes and comments or save them for themselves.
You can edit your own posts with filters, emojis and fonts directly in the app. Content is sorted by topic using hashtags. Reels (short TikTok-style videos) can be accessed via the video icon.
At the end of 2023, Meta also launched the Threads social media app in Germany. This is linked to Instagram.
Since December 2024, young people up to the age of 16 have automatically been given so-called teen accounts with additional protective functions such as restricted contact options and stricter content filters: notifications are muted between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. and automatic replies are sent to direct messages. After 60 minutes of use per day, teenagers receive a notification asking them to leave the app. Accounts of children and young people under the age of 18 are automatically set to private after creation. However, this can be changed in the settings afterwards and the profile can be set to public. All these default settings can only be adjusted or deactivated with the consent of the parents in the so-called parental supervision in the Family Center.
Data protection: Instagram’s privacy policy allows the sharing of user data with other services of the parent company Meta and with third parties. The app allows cross-posting. This means that a photo can also be shared on Facebook with one click. If you have an account there, you should check the settings carefully when publishing posts.
Location sharing: Instagram can determine the location of users via the posts they post. Private accounts prevent this. Access to the location can also be deactivated in the app and in the app permissions. This means that Instagram cannot view the location of public accounts either. However, a location can be added to each posted image manually afterwards.
Paid content: Paid content is created when children and young people not only follow an account, but also subscribe to it. The monthly price is set by the creators themselves and the subscription can usually be canceled on a monthly basis. Subscribers have access to exclusive content such as images, reels and stories. If you want to subscribe to an account, you will find the “Subscribe” button next to “Follow”/”Followed” and “Messages” on your profile. A single click on this does not yet lead to a subscription, which must be confirmed with further clicks.
Inappropriate content: Certain content can be problematic for young people, such as erotic images, dangerous challenges, disinformation or advertising. Influencer business models play a special role here, which young people do not always recognize.
Communication risks: Functions such as chats and comments harbor communication risks such as being contacted by strangers, hate speech or cyberbullying.
Despite the official minimum age of 13, there is no effective age check. Until your child is 18 years old, you must consent to its use. There are extensive usage and setting options. If your child is under the age of 13, they can use Instagram if you manage the account. This must be included in the profile description. At Handysektor you can read a short version of the terms of use and download a flyer with the most important safety information about Instagram for young people.
Parents can link their account to that of their child in the “Parental supervision”. We present all the setting options in this article. You can find out how Instagram wants to make the app safer for young people directly on the Instagram website.
Consider together with your child at what age and according to what rules they are allowed to use Instagram. Check the app settings together so that your child can use Instagram as safely as possible. Not all photos must or may be shared with everyone or only with friends.
Talk to your child about communication risks. Show your child how they can block or report other users and explain to them when these functions are useful – for example, if someone insults your child in the comments. Your child should not accept requests from strangers and should use their own data, such as their location , sparingly.
Educate your child about risks such as harmful content, hate speech, disinformation and political opinion making. Also talk about critical behavior of influencers and stay in conversation with your child about one-sided role models and clichés. Stay interested and regularly ask who your child follows on Instagram and who follows them. It is important that your child knows that they can always talk to you if they have an unpleasant experience on the platform.
Immerse yourself in game worlds, experience exciting adventures with your own avatar and compete with other players – many children and young people are fascinated by games. As a parent, you should give your child access to age-appropriate content. Online games in particular, with their opportunities for interaction and incentives to buy, present young players with challenges. But how do you keep track of the gaming market and find suitable games for your child?
Educational age recommendations, independent game reviews and media awards can help you make informed decisions and select suitable content together with your child. In this article, we present some of the options.
The NRW games guide is a media education service from the Fachstelle für Jugendmedienkultur NRW, which supports parents with media education. The platform offers extensive information on over 2000 games. The games are tested by young people and given an educational age recommendation by experts. Parents can use filter functions to find suitable games for their children by genre, platform and age. The game descriptions and video clips provide insights into the content, risks and opportunities of the games and use additional descriptions to highlight the characteristics and skills that the game promotes (e.g. reading skills, frustration tolerance and logic).
More info: https://www.elternguide.online/spieleratgeber-nrw/
Whether for computer, tablet, smartphone or console – internet-abc.de offers a collection of over 1000 games for children up to the age of 12. The Internet ABC experts award points for fun, operation and technical quality and make an age assessment. Children and parents can use the search mask to filter the games by game type, game device and age group. Each recommendation offers facts and pictures about the game as well as a summary of the content. Children can rate the games with stars and leave comments.
More info: https://www.internet-abc.de/kinder/spiel-spass/spieletipps/
Anyone looking for high-quality and child-friendly digital content will find what they are looking for at the Educational Media Prize of the media education association SIN – Studio im Netz. Every year, a jury of children, young people and experts awards prizes to digital media offerings such as apps, games and websites that are particularly recommended for young people. The award-winning digital offerings are free of problematic content such as excessive violence. The focus is on media that not only entertain, but also convey educationally valuable content.
More info: https://www.paedagogischer-medienpreis.de
The website of the Digital Games Culture Foundation offers parents a collection of recommended games. The selection includes both serious games that specifically impart knowledge and commercial entertainment games with educational added value. The collection also includes programs that encourage children and young people to get creative and develop their own games. The offers can be filtered according to age groups, platforms and topics. For each game there is an educational classification according to time required, complexity, game content, opportunities and possible risks.
More info: https://www.stiftung-digitale-spielekultur.de/paedagogische-spiele/
Every year, the TOMMI Children’s Software Award recognizes particularly recommendable digital games and educational products for children. First, an expert jury reviews the nominated media products. Children’s juries then test and evaluate the games, apps and programs in 50 libraries in German-speaking countries. The TOMMI is published by the FEIBEL.DE office for children’s media in Berlin. Parents benefit from the independent assessments, as the award highlights games that are suitable for children and offer both fun and educational added value. The award ceremony takes place every year in the Timster program on KiKa program.
More info: https://tommi.kids/kindersoftwarepreis/
The Gaming without Borders project tests digital games for accessibility and supports game developers in designing inclusive games. Young people with and without disabilities test the games and rate them in the categories of seeing, hearing, understanding and controlling. The service shows how digital games can be made accessible for everyone. The ComputerProjekt Köln e.V. is the specialist center for youth media culture in NRW. Parents can find valuable information here on how to select accessible games for their children in order to give them an unrestricted gaming experience.
More info: https://www.gaming-ohne-grenzen.de/
Beware of the risk of confusion! Distinguish between educational recommendations and age ratings in accordance with the German Youth Protection Act. Age ratings such as those issued by the Entertainment Software Self-Regulation Body(USK) are intended to protect children and young people from developmentally harmful content and interaction risks. They are not a recommendation and can say little about whether your child can handle the content well.
Educational recommendations assess whether a game is understandable, interesting and development-promoting for a certain age group in terms of content and emotion. They show how a medium can accompany, support or positively stimulate children and young people in their development.
Every child develops differently. Therefore, don’t just rely on recommendations, but actively accompany your child in their media use right from the start. Observe your child to understand how they react to different content. It is best to play together with your child or try out the game yourself beforehand. You can find more information on the topic of games in the family, for example which media rules are important, in this parents’ guide article: https://www.elternguide.online/games-games-games/
The Internet is full of photos and videos. Images are often seen as proof of the truth of a report. However, photos and videos can also be manipulated or even faked. Deep fakes are just such counterfeits. They lead to the fact that disinformation can be spread even better, because they look very convincing.
Thanks to artificial intelligence, sound or video recordings can be falsified or even completely recreated. Developers of deep fakes can, for example, put any statement in a person’s mouth or make them do things that they did not do in real life. The software analyzes recordings of a person and “learns” their facial expressions and gestures. After that, any sentences can be spoken and the recording manipulated to make it look as if the person said it themselves.
The three most common forms of deep fakes:
Such software can now be downloaded free of charge from the Internet. There are even relatively easy-to-use apps so that almost anyone can create and distribute deep fakes. As technology is constantly improving, counterfeits are becoming increasingly difficult to detect.
Many young people encounter deep fakes in the form of humorous clips or parodies. If they fall for funny deep fakes, this is harmless in many cases. If the trick is explained afterwards, as in the video by a famous German YouTuber, it can even be an educational experience.
It becomes problematic when young people allow themselves to be manipulated by deep fakes or are targeted themselves. In other words, when a deep fake is created that exposes them. This can put a heavy burden on those affected and lead to serious consequences.
Fake videos are dangerous because they look so convincing. Children and young people in particular must first learn to question content critically.
Although the use of third-party images is generally regulated by the right to one’s own image, deep fakes have long been a legal gray area. The Federal Council has been dealing with the issue since July 2024. The new law on the “violation of personal rights through digital falsification” provides for penalties of up to two years’ imprisonment, and up to five years in serious cases. The German government is also planning programs to improve the detection and regulation of deep fakes.
Deep fakes are a rapidly growing phenomenon. While it’s not always easy to understand the technical details, it’s important that you talk to your child about these issues. Here are a few tips:
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.
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.
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!
Whether chatbots like My AI or digital assistants like Alexa – Artificial intelligence has long since found its way into everyday family life. This makes people curious and encourages them to try it out for themselves. In this article, we show you a few ways in which children and young people can use AI tools creatively.
AI picture generators allow your child to give free rein to their creativity and create exciting works of art. For example, they can create pictures in the style of different art movements such as Impressionism or Pop Art or be inspired by famous artists. Leonardo.AI offers one way of doing this. The tool is available as an app for Android and iOS or can be used directly in the internet browser. In the free version, 150 tokens (a type of digital currency) are available per day, which can be used to generate at least 10 images. Your child can also upload their own pictures and videos and edit them in the style of famous artists. However, please pay attention to your child’s data protection and privacy. Leonardo AI has a USK rating from the age of 12.
Further information: https://leonardo.ai/
From birthday songs to hip-hop songs – with the Suno tool, your child can generate a variety of songs from instruments and vocals. The program creates songs based on input from instructions (called prompts). For example: “Create a cheerful pop song about 4b’s hiking day in the city forest”. Up to ten songs can be generated every day, with each prompt your child receives two song suggestions. They can listen to these directly and download them if necessary. Your child can either write the lyrics themselves or have them generated automatically by the program. The resulting songs may be used for non-commercial purposes. Free registration is required for use, for example with a Google-account is required. According to the terms and conditions, the tool may be used from the age of 13, the USK age rating with regard to the protection of minors is “from 12 years”. Suno is available as an app for Android and iOS as well as a browser application.
Further information: https://suno.com/
It’s raining outside and all the activities at home seem to have been exhausted? How about a special coloring activity? With ChatGPT you can not only support schoolwork, but also create coloring pages according to your child’s wishes. To do this, your child enters the command for how the picture should look in the chat window and receives a generated picture from the chatbot. ChatGPT has a USK rating from the age of 0 and can be used from the age of 13 with the consent of a parent or guardian. We explain exactly how the tool works and what you should bear in mind in this article: https://www.elternguide.online/chatgpt/
With the low-threshold design program Canva, your child can get creative with a variety of AI tools and editing functions. The program can be used either via the website or via the Canva app for Android and iOS. It’s perfect for creating your own comics or photo stories. Here’s how it works:
Registration is required to work with Canva. According to the terms and conditions, the tool is only permitted for children up to the age of 13 with parental consent, the USK age rating is “0 years and older”. The tool is free of charge, additional content can be unlocked with a paid subscription.
Further information: https://canva.com
If your child wants to use creative AI tools, you as a parent should pay attention to the following points:
On the website of the public children’s media service KiKA, children can find lots of videos of their favorite series and films. There are also games, craft ideas and do-it-yourself experiments.
KiKA is the children’s channel of ARD and ZDF. On the website, you can watch documentaries, reports, news, animated and real series, films and shows from the children’s media range or follow the live program.
Online, however, there is more to discover on KiKA than the popular children’s series and formats. Various online games such as picture puzzles, games of skill or adventure and quiz games offer further entertainment. In the do-it-yourself section, children can find coloring pictures, craft ideas, recipes and experiments to get creative and active at home.
The KUMMERKASTEN also offers children the opportunity to find out about topics such as feelings, friendships and family, as well as problems such as cyberbullying or school stress in short videos. The KUMMERKASTEN primarily deals with challenges and problems during puberty and aims to provide support for adolescents.
Children can also contact the KUMMERKASTEN team at Diakonie if they have any problems or concerns: At Ask Sabine! children can find out how this works and can use a link to go directly to the advice page for children and young people of the Diakonisches Werk Berlin-Brandenburg-schlesische Oberlausitz e. V., with which KiKA and KUMMERKASTEN cooperate. Children and young people can get advice here via chat or email. Other offers of help such as the Nummer gegen Kummer, which offers telephone counseling, are also presented.
KiKA offers content for children between the ages of 3 and 13. However, not all content is recommended for the youngest children. Some content, for example the news program logo!, is only recommended from the age of 9. But even if there are suitable age recommendations, the following applies: watch the content together with your child and observe how your child reacts to the content. In a separate section for parents, educators can find information about the content and age recommendations for the respective programs. There you will also find additional material for the programs, such as colouring pictures or craft instructions for children. Also agree on times and duration of media use together. Media rituals in the family or a joint media usage contract can be helpful here.
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.).
The Kritzel Klub website is all about painting, drawing and creative experimentation. Children can get started directly on the virtual white paper and discover numerous tools without having to register.
At kritzel-klub.de, children can try out various digital pens, brushes and tools and create pictures online without much preparation. The website is designed with the help of symbols so that even children who are not yet able to read well can find their way around and start drawing straight away.
Various methods are also available to stimulate creative painting and drawing processes. For example, children can try out painting according to sounds or words or add their own drawings to pictures. Various drawing and painting techniques are also explained in four film clips. Children can then try out what they have learned by drawing with pen and paper.
The artworks can then be saved and printed out.
At Kritzel Klub, even younger children can easily get creative online and try out how to use digital devices at the same time. While creating and designing online, it’s easy to forget the time. Think about this together with your child: How would you like to organize media use in the family, how much screen time is ok? At the same time, your child may also be unhappy if something doesn’t work or look the way you want it to. Accompany your child in their use or create a digital work of art together.
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.).
Solve audio puzzles, set a story to music yourself or put together a radio play – it’s all possible on AUDIYOUkids! Children will find lots of stories to listen to and join in with, e.g. an audio walk or a karaoke game. Parents will find instructions and tips to make sure everything goes well.
AUDIYOUkids invites children into a world of sounds and listening. The website is divided into four different areas. On the “audio walk”, children can choose between different worlds such as “Coast” or “Haunted castle” and discover the places with their ears. They choose the route themselves with the help of sounds, can follow it with puzzle cards to print out and see whether they have discovered all the sounds.
With “Cartoons”, children can help a magician perform magic. The result can be saved and downloaded with microphone access. With the help of parents, even kindergarten children can try their hand here.
In the “Karaoke” section, children can take part in the production of a radio play and play a role. This also requires a computer with a microphone, otherwise the text passages can only be spoken but not recorded. The results can also be downloaded at the end.
AUDIYOUkids states on its website that the data is strictly protected in terms of data protection and will not be made accessible to others. Registration is not necessary.
The “Cartoon” and “Karaoke” sections are also suitable for younger primary school children with supervision, while the “Your audio projects” section is more complex but all the more creative. Here, children will find a child-friendly introduction to producing their own radio plays. In addition to a computer and microphone, a program for editing audio tracks is a technical requirement. The website recommends the free Audacity program to set up a small, functioning recording studio on your own computer. There is an introduction to radio play production and the Audacity program, and further playful exercises prepare children for producing their own radio play. The materials are recommended on the website for children from 4th grade upwards. Some of the radio plays are only suitable for children from Year 5 upwards. To create your own audio projects, you do not need Internet access after downloading the desired materials.
AUDIYOUkids offers children the opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of audio drama and become creative in the process. When creating their own audio projects, primary school children in particular need support at first, such as setting up the Audacity program and understanding its functions. Therefore, accompany younger children in particular when using the website. Creating your own small audio projects can also be a great way to get creative together with your child. If sounds and music are needed for your own radio play, you can browse AUDIYOU with your child for noises and sounds.
When producing your own audio projects, it’s easy to forget the time, so make sure you have a screen-free balance and exercise.
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.).
Whether it’s a vacation by the sea, a birthday party with friends or cocoa in the morning – taking selfies and uploading them to Instagram, WhatsApp or Snapchat is a matter of course for many of us. Children and young people also want to share pictures of themselves and their experiences with others – and preferably in the best possible light. In the past, only professionals could edit photos to make a face look “perfect”. Today, this is very easy with apps and their image editing options, such as face filters.
On Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat users can take photos directly in the app and select a filter beforehand. Filters are placed virtually over the photo or video taken. This makes it quick and easy to integrate funny elements such as elf ears, beards or butterflies into the photo or video. In addition to fun filters, so-called gender swap filters and beauty filters are very popular.
Gender swap filters make it possible to convert female into male and male into female. Beauty filters, such as the YouCam Makeup app, change the person’s face and adapt it to certain specifications. Features such as skin texture, hair and eye color or facial features can be changed. AI-supported image generators that reshape people in the style of famous paintings, for example, are also popular.
The choice of filters is unlimited and is constantly growing. Children and young people find it funny and entertaining. They can also use filters to slip into other roles and try their hand. Sometimes filters even provide more anonymity, since the face is not always recognizable.
Beauty filters are used to quickly “prettify” your own face and adapt it to a certain ideal of beauty. Some young people feel more comfortable with filtered selfies than presenting their true selves in public.
With apps like Spark AR Studio, you can design your own filters and use them on Instagram. Young people can thus imitate the filters of their role models. There are even small trends and challenges developing with face filters, such as the Yearbook Challenge with retro filters. Challenges with family and friends like the #funnyfilterchallenge on TikTok are especially fun.
Big eyes, narrow nose, pouty mouth and perfect complexion – face filters can convey a very one-sided image of beauty and gender images. If young people often see such pictures of their idols on social media, this can give the impression that their own bodies are not normal and beautiful and that they must look just as perfect. As a result, they resort to filters that distort their own ego.
As young people’s self-confidence is not yet firmly established, they compare themselves strongly with other people and with widespread ideals of beauty. They may not like pictures of themselves without filters or how they really look. Yet at least some people meet the usual expectations of beauty. Gender-swap filters can convey a false gender image. They are mostly stereotypical and only differentiate between male and female. Some of them are also associated with costs or collect or store personal data.
A counter-movement in social media is called “body positivity” or #nofilter or#nofilterneeded. Images posted under these hashtags aim to show real people without using filters. However, there is no guarantee that the photos are filter-free.
Understand your child’s enthusiasm for Face Filter when it’s all about fun and creativity. Have them show you what filters your child is using. Talk to him about filters that are supposed to make you more beautiful and what is really behind them. Make it clear that filtered images have little to do with reality and encourage them to do without filters from time to time. You can also show your child in the app settings of social media platforms how to “Like” posts on e.g. Instagram can hide. This can reduce the pressure to get as many likes as possible. Browse the web together for photos tagged with the hashtags #nofilter or #facepositivity . Talk about your own self-image and encourage your child to accept themselves and see themselves as beautiful.
