News Overview

AI applications have become part of everyday life for many young people. Almost two thirds of young people have had experience with AI. ChatGPT in particular continues to gain in importance. While 38% of young people used this application last year, this figure has now risen to 57%. In addition, young people are increasingly confronted with problematic content such as offensive comments and extreme political views online. These are just some of the findings of the new JIM (Jugend, Internet, Medien) 2024 study by the Medienpädagogischer Forschungsverbund Südwest (mpfs). The study is conducted annually by the Landesanstalt für Kommunikation Baden-Württemberg (LFK), the Medienanstalt Rheinland-Pfalz and Südwestrundfunk (SWR).

A planned social media ban for children in Australia has been reported for a few weeks now. The Australian government's plan has already cleared a number of hurdles, but there are doubts as to whether it can actually be implemented. Despite the unresolved details, the idea of a social media ban is also attracting a lot of interest outside Australia. We explain the dangers lurking in social media services, the positive aspects for young people and what parents can already do to better supervise their children on the services.

Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the Christmas shopping season - at the end of the year, online retailers outdo each other with bargains and discounts. Unfortunately, scammers also take advantage of the general shopping frenzy. They lure us in with supposedly unbeatable offers to tempt us into making purchases. How can you tell the difference between a fake store and a reputable online retailer? We show you what you need to look out for when shopping safely online and offer a simple checklist and teaching material for working with young people.

Safer Internet Day (SID) will take place on February 11, 2025. We are calling on everyone to take part in the international day of action for a safer Internet throughout February! Whether it's a public web seminar or a closed lesson - all activities are welcome. To help you plan your participation now, we offer you a practical collection of materials on various topics.

This Friday, JUUUPORT e.V. is once again organizing a day of action against cyberbullying. Under the motto "Together against cyberbullying", the initiative sends out a clear signal against hate and insults on the internet every year. At the heart of this year's campaign are two videos on the subject of sexting. In them, 22-year-old Celine talks openly about her experiences with cyberbullying and the unauthorized forwarding of intimate photos.

With the "LinkClips", Seitenstark e. V. presents a new short video format to draw attention to the colorful variety of offers for children on the Internet across many channels. Two new clips will be played every week until March 2025. With an entertaining and informative mix of animation and screencast, presented by Seitenstark's mascot Starky, children, parents and educational professionals and teachers will be inspired by good children's websites.

Today is the International Day against Bullying and Cyberbullying - an important day of action that draws attention to the urgent problem of bullying and cyberbullying in particular. klicksafe, the Love Always Wins e.V. association and the "Nummer gegen Kummer" (number against grief) offer support to those affected, parents and teachers. Cyberbullying is a growing problem, especially in times of increasing digital networking.

The Educational Media Awards were presented in Munich for the 27th time. A total of 15 media products for children and young people were honored with an "Educational Media Award 2024". With this award, the "SIN - Studio im Netz" honors the innovative ideas of the developer studios and provides parents and professionals with a list of recommendations as a guide. The award winners were selected by a jury in which children and young people were also involved in the decision-making process alongside educational professionals.

The EU initiative klicksafe is calling on people across Germany to take part in Safer Internet Day 2025 on February 11. Disinformation and hateful online content are flooding social networks. They challenge our judgment and our democratic values. What skills do young people in particular need to critically classify manipulative social media content? With the focus topic "No likes for lies! Recognize extremism, populism and deepfakes online", klicksafe is focusing on education and empowerment on Safer Internet Day 2025. The international day of action is coordinated by klicksafe in Germany.

Since 2015, November 18 has been the International Day for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse. The Safer Internet Centre Germany, which is coordinated by klicksafe, is offering two webinars on this day, which you can register for free. klicksafe and the Rhineland-Palatinate State Criminal Police Office will inform you about phenomena such as the loverboy method, sextortion and cybergrooming. The complaints offices of the German Safer Internet Center will show you how to report suspicious content and have it checked.

Chain letters via WhatsApp are spreading, especially among children. The younger the children are, the less they can judge whether the content is true or not. Especially around Halloween, creepy chain letters circulate online that can instill fear in children. We give tips on how parents can support their children in this case.

WhatsApp has been the messenger service most used by children and young people for many years. Many parents allow their children to use WhatsApp on their cell phones to stay in touch with friends and family. The messenger is also used for communication in some schools and clubs. WhatsApp is now much more than just an app for exchanging messages with friends. Not least the new WhatsApp channels have turned the messenger into a platform that resembles a social network. We explain what WhatsApp channels are and what parents need to know to protect their children.

Cyberbullying among children and young people has continued to increase. Currently, 18.5 percent of schoolchildren are affected. In absolute figures, that is more than two million children and young people. This is shown by the current study "Cyberlife V - Cyberbullying among schoolchildren" by the Alliance against Cyberbullying. We provide parents and teachers with information on how to react correctly in the event of cyberbullying.

Practicing democracy and experiencing diversity - children can do this in the unique German-language children's website landscape. Every year on October 21, the Day of Children's Websites draws attention to these diverse offerings. In 2024, the motto of the day is "For democracy and diversity". An online rally is offered for children to get to know many exciting children's websites.

The usage habits of young people are constantly evolving. For example, voice messages have become an essential part of their communication. The JUUUPORT advice and information platform is adapting its services to this development by revamping the advice tool both technically and visually. A new podcast with the JUUUPORT scouts has also been launched.