News Overview 2023

A large proportion of young people in Germany use messenger, social media and video games. They should be aware of possible dangers and know where to find help. klicksafe has therefore published a series of flyers on the most popular services. Their content has now been updated and they can be ordered in the new design.

Has this ever happened to you? You are surfing the Internet and suddenly a shocking image or video appears on the screen. In this case, many people simply click away quickly. However, this way these images remain visible online - even for children and teenagers. It is better to report illegal content and content harmful to minors simply and anonymously. We explain how to do this in just a few seconds.

"So cute", "OMG", "Diamond flight" - with one click you can "support" creators on TikTok with monetary gifts. The harmless names often don't reveal the real value. Because some gifts cost up to 300 euros. Especially in so-called live matches, viewers are encouraged to send gifts of money. We explain how the gift system on TikTok works and which settings in the app are important for young people.

Where do children and young people come into contact with algorithms in their everyday digital lives? What are the risks associated with artificial intelligence? And how can we strengthen young users in dealing with them? We provided information about this in our klicksafe web seminar as part of the Media Literacy Week in Rhineland-Palatinate. You can watch the recording now.

The Dieter Baacke Prize is awarded to educational, social and cultural projects throughout Germany. The aim is to honor and publicize outstanding media education projects and methods of active media work. Applications are invited from projects that teach children, young people and families how to deal creatively and critically with the media and thus promote media literacy. The Dieter Baacke Prize is awarded by the Society for Media Education and Communication Culture (GMK) and the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth.

Shock calls, supposed sweepstakes or the alleged new number of one's own child - time and again we read headlines about scams on WhatsApp. To counteract this and exclude unknown numbers, the app has recently offered a new function, which we present here.

Education needs digitization and digitization needs education. After all, iPads, smartboards and digital tools at schools only develop their full benefits if teachers use them confidently. That's why Deutschland sicher im Netz (DsiN) is offering an expanded version of the digital guide that takes into account the needs and realities of teachers.

Hate content, disinformation, and sexual harassment - social media sites are the hub for numerous risks that children and young people are exposed to online. Nevertheless, providers continue to neglect the protection of their youngest users and do not take sufficient precautions. This is shown by the annual report of jugendschutz.net, the joint competence center of the federal and state governments for the protection of minors on the Internet.

Whether riding a bike or using toxic cleaning products - in many areas of life, it's perfectly clear to parents that they need to protect their children. Digitally, however, children often move around unprotected. In a current campaign, klicksafe provides quick and targeted help for media education.

The statewide action week will take place this year from July 3 to 9, 2023. "Media literacy on the ground - here in Rhineland-Palatinate" is the motto under which all regions, cities, and municipalities are networked to make the diverse commitment to more media literacy visible. klicksafe is participating with various offerings.

The latest gaming trends, challenges or pranks on social media - are you still keeping up? The ultimate advice for media education is often: Keep up a lively exchange with your child. But what and how should parents ask to learn more about their children's online activities and support them?

When children and young people are affected by cyberbullying, they often feel helpless and isolated. This is also shown by three video spots from Webwise, the Safer Internet Centre Ireland. The videos of the #SilentWitness campaign offer the opportunity to engage in a conversation with young people on the topic of cyberbullying. How can young people help with bullying without becoming a target themselves? Our new infographic, "Observing Cyberbullying? How to become an upstander!" answers this question and provides helpful tips.

Children often use digital media alone and unaccompanied - especially digital games and the Internet. Two-thirds of parents also do not use technical options for youth media protection such as filters or security settings. These are the latest findings of the KIM Study 2022 on media use by children between the ages of six and 13.

Everyone is talking about artificial intelligence (AI): How it is changing our everyday lives and how it will have a fundamental impact on our lives in the future. But what do young people think about AI - in other words, the generation whose everyday lives will be shaped most by AI tomorrow? The Tübingen AI Center interviewed young people to find out which aspects around machine learning are relevant for future generations. These stories have now been published as a comic essay.

For the past seven years, the Media Authority of North Rhine-Westphalia has published an annual representative forsa survey on the public's perception of hate speech. The latest figures are now available for 2023 as well. Two things in particular are striking: It is encouraging that more and more people are taking active action against hate speech. What is less encouraging, however, is that younger respondents in particular frequently state that they have been affected by hate speech themselves.