News Overview 2025

More and more children are affected by cybergrooming on the internet. This involves minors being specifically contacted in preparation for sexual abuse. According to a recent survey, an average of two to three children in primary school classes are already affected. These figures clearly show that prevention work must start with the youngest children. Today sees the launch of a new initiative by the Kinderschutzbund, the Rhineland-Palatinate Media Authority and the police. It aims to empower parents and teachers to educate primary school children about cybergrooming and protect them.

Banned Nazi symbols, glorification of suicide and sexual violence against children - in addition to millions of pop songs and podcasts, such content can also be accessed freely on Spotify. A new report by jugendschutz.net shows: The popular platform hides reporting options behind unnecessary hurdles, hardly deletes content that is harmful to minors and inadequately labels adult content. Although parents can filter problematic content for their children, they have to pay over 200 euros a year to do so. Here you can find out what safety deficiencies jugendschutz.net has discovered on Spotify and how you can supervise your child on the platform.

AI applications and deepfakes have become an indelible part of our everyday lives. That is why we are empowering young people, parents and educational professionals in dealing with AI and deepfakes with this year's "Back to School" campaign. The campaign runs throughout September and offers new materials and tips for educational practice. The highlight will be the klicksafe school lesson on October 1, which can be streamed by schools nationwide. School classes can register for the digital event until September 26, 2025.

Less than a third of parents inform children and young people about online dangers and relevant protective measures before buying a smartphone or other device. This is the result of the focus topic "Digital everyday family life" of the Cybersecurity Monitor 2025, a representative survey conducted by the BSI and the police.

Just play a level, quickly check a reel, listen to a new voice message - and hours have passed again. Social networks, games and streaming portals cast a spell over young people - sometimes to such an extent that the real world fades into the background. In our new topic area, we therefore answer the most important questions about excessive media use and media addiction. When does media use become too much? At what point do we speak of addiction? What can parents do to prevent it? And when do they need to intervene?

Today, the world's largest video games fair, gamescom, opens its doors to all visitors in Cologne. At klicksafe, parents can find detailed information about video games and media education. Although gaming is now part of everyday life for many people, parents still have many questions about how to guide children sensibly in the world of video games. To coincide with the start of gamescom, we have therefore put together an article with lots of information on this topic for you.

In a recent study, ECPAT Germany, the Working Group for the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation, focuses on the phenomenon of so-called "pocket money meetings". What sounds rather harmless in terms of the term is actually a form of sexual exploitation of children and young people. Online ad portals and dating platforms are specifically used to offer or seek intimate pictures and meetings in exchange for money or gifts. We explain what parents should know about it.

"But everyone else has one too!" - this argument is probably well known to parents. But at what age should children get their first cell phone? Many parents use the transition from elementary school to secondary school to equip their children with their own smartphone. How can parents tell if their child is ready for their own smartphone? And is a smartwatch a good alternative? We answer the most important questions parents have on the subject of "Smartphones in children's hands".

Roblox is one of the largest gaming platforms in the world. More than 100 million people use Roblox every day. Among them are millions of children and young people. In recent months, the company has announced several changes that are intended to improve the safety of minors on the platform in particular. We summarize what the changes are and what parents need to watch out for.

Media professionals and creatives can submit their contributions on the topic of data protection from now until December 5, 2025. Pupils and students are also invited to apply: The "Special Youth Prize", endowed with 1,500 euros, will once again be awarded for them.

Computers, tablets and smartphones are usually used more intensively than usual during the vacations. However, this doesn't have to be a negative thing, as you can also work creatively with these devices. Which camera setting is the right one? How do you edit radio plays? And how do you animate games? With the right tools and information pages, children can quickly learn the most important tricks for working creatively with media. This makes the supposedly boring vacation time fly by. This not only offers added value for their own media experience. It also enables an informed and critical examination of media content. klicksafe presents recommended offers.

The summer vacations are finally here and digital media also plays a big role for parents and children during the vacation season. For children, it's a time to play more - both offline and online - and to socialize. For parents, it's often about taking a break, planning outings and activities and finding ways to keep the whole family entertained and engaged. We tell you what to look out for to have a safe digital summer vacation.

The TOMMI children's software prize is being awarded for the 24th time this year. A children's jury will decide which games will be awarded a prize. Anyone between the ages of eight and sixteen can now apply to be a member of the jury. Publishers of games, apps and digital learning opportunities can also submit their products to the TOMMI until August 28.

More and more young men are trying to "optimize" their appearance using sometimes extreme methods - including self-harm such as "bone smashing". The trend originally comes from the incel scene and is marketed on social media under the slogan "Maximize your looks". Behind this supposed lifestyle trend often lies frustration, insecurity and problematic beauty ideals.

The EU Commission has published new guidelines on the protection of minors - an important step towards greater safety for young people in the digital space. The guidelines provide further clarity for online platforms on how they must implement the requirements of the Digital Services Act (DSA). A new age verification system is also intended to solve the well-known problem that many sensible protective measures can easily be circumvented by providing false age information.